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Nurse hanged herself with scarf, left 3 suicide notes [UPDATED]

Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse who took the prank phone call from a pair of Australian DJs. Saldanha reportedly left a suicide note before taking her own life. In an effort to apologize, the Australian radio station has set up a memorial fund for her family.
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Jacintha Saldanha (Facebook).
Jacintha Saldanha (Facebook).
Published: Dec. 12, 2012 at 12:02 PM
By GABRIELLE LEVY, UPI.com

Details continue to emerge about the suicide death the nurse who took the prank phone call from a pair of Australian DJs, passing along the call to the nurse caring for Kate Middleton.

Jacintha Saldanha, 46, reportedly left three separate suicide notes before taking her own life. She hanged herself at her staff housing residence, just down the road from the King Edward VII hospital where she worked.

According to Coroner's Officer Lynda Martindill, Saldanha was found hanging from her wardrobe by coworkers Friday morning. She also had injuries to her wrists.

Although Police detective chief inspector James Harman declined to released the contents of the messages left by Saldanha, he told an inquest that two notes were found at the scene and another among her belongings.

Police said they were examining the notes for information, but do not believe suspicious circumstances led to her death. Detectives will contact police in Australia to collect "relevant evidence," likely related to the recording of the two radio hosts who called the hospital and spoke with Saldanha while posing as members of the royal family, Harman said.

According to the Daily Mail, Saldanha had not told her husband or children that she had been the victim of the prank call that had become the butt of jokes worldwide.

Royal hoax: DJs moved to safehouses after death threats over nurse suicide

The post-mortem examination into Saldanha's death began Tuesday, although the results have not yet been released.

Labour MP Keith Vaz, acting as spokesman, said Saldanha's family--her husband, Ben Barboza, and children Junal, 17, and Lisha, 14--is demanding "to know everything."

"They were in the dark about the hoax call," Vaz said. "They hadn't watched the news or seen anything about it. They didn't know they were involved until after Jacintha's death."

The radio station 2Day FM, whose Mel Greig and Michael Christian made the hoax phone call, has pledged to give Saldanha's family at least £320,000 ($500,000) for a memorial fund.

"We are very sorry for what has happened. It is a terrible tragedy and our thoughts continue to be with the family," Rhys Holleran, chief executive of 2Day FM's owners, Southern Cross Austereo, said. "We hope that by contributing to a memorial fund we can help to provide the Saldanha family with the support they need at this very difficult time. The company today reiterates that it is deeply saddened by this tragic and unforeseen event and offers its condolences to the family of Jacintha Saldanha."

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