09 May 2023 , 17:30
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A teaching assistant who fell to her death from a cliff not long after texting her mum that she was "thinking about ending it all" did not take her own life, a coroner ruled.
Mum-of-one Danyell Sinckler died after falling near a lighthouse shortly after an argument with her boyfriend.
She made repeated “cries for help” before her death, an inquest into her death was told.
On the day she died last May 8, the spat between the 32-year-old and her partner, Leon Morris, became heated at the Cramptons pub in Broadstairs, Kent, and spilled out into the car park, the hearing heard.
"Big-hearted" Ms Sinckler then drove away and over the next few hours sent a series of text messages to her friends, family and partner saying she wanted to kill herself.
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These messages were sent up until she arrived at South Foreland Lighthouse in Saint Margaret’s Bay, Dover, Kent, a coroner was told.
In a text to her mum, Stephanie Eaton, she said: “I’m thinking about ending it all.”
Ms Eaton replied: “Where are you? I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”
Danyell Sinckler died after falling near South Foreland Lighthouse in Saint Margaret's Bay, Dover, last May (Facebook)Ms Sinckler replied that she was in Dover, but added: “You’ll be too late.”
At the same time she sent texts to Mr Morris to tell him her exact location and that she planned to jump from the cliffs.
He later told officers that because of the poor signal he never received the messages and passed the rest of the night in various bars in Broadstairs.
But at the conclusion of the hearing on Thursday, coroner Katrina Hepburn said two of the four messages did seem to have delivered, adding that Mr Morris refused requests to attend or send a written inquest for the hearing.
Meanwhile Ms Eaton spent a large portion of that night desperately searching for her daughter, but returned home without her.
She waited until morning to file a missing persons report because Ms Sinckler had been drink driving and begged her not to call the police.
Between 9.30pm and 9.40pm, Ms Sinckler called 999 three times and 112 twice, but none of these calls connected – with no evidence of them being found in emergency call logs or phone bill data.
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At 10.15am the next morning on May 9 last year, Ms Sinckler’s body was found by a National Trust worker on the shore.
The coroner ruled the cause of death as multiple injuries, and gave a narrative verdict - adding there were several factors preventing her from ruling Ms Sinckler’s death a suicide.
Danyell made repeated “cries for help” before her death, an inquest into her death was told (Facebook)Ms Hepburn said Ms Sinckler’s fear of being in trouble with the police was an example of “future thinking” and therefore a reason for not ruling the death a suicide.
Another was that Ms Sinckler previously took an overdose four times and told friends and family - all of whom insisted they were not suicide attempts but cries for help.
Delivering her conclusion, Ms Hepburn said: “There is evidence to suggest intention, but I bear in mind that there had been previous cries for help, and the fact that she disclosed what she was thinking of doing to a number of people.
“There were also a number of calls to emergency services that were unable to connect – which could have been to seek help.
“This advises me that she was not suicidal at this point. I believe her actions were a cry for help.”
Addressing the family, the coroner added: “I hope this process has answered some of the questions you have, in so far as I have been able to do so in this inquest.
“My role is a narrow one, but I have attempted to answer the issues raised. I appreciate we are approaching the anniversary of her death, and I thank you for your patience.
“Dealing with any bereavement is difficult. The loss of Danyell, a beloved daughter, mother and friend in these circumstances has undoubtedly been a tragedy and I take the opportunity, once again, to offer you my condolences.”
Ms Eaton paid tribute to her daughter after the first inquest hearing in March.
She said: "Danyell would go above and beyond for people - she always had a lot of time for everyone.
"She was generous, with her heart and her money. She never liked to think of anyone else being unhappy. If any of her friends were down she’d always want to get them out and have a good time.
"She was big-hearted, a lovely daughter and I was immensely proud of her getting her degree. She was a mum at a young age and she had battled all of these obstacles to get where she wanted to get to.
"She worked in the care industry with young adults with challenging behaviour and they used to really look forward to Danyell going on shift because she seemed to have quite an empathy with them.
"There was one girl who had been non-verbal and Danyell managed to get her singing, which was a real achievement.
"She had worked with elderly people as well and they really loved her, because she was cheeky and she would chat with them and have a laugh."
From the age of 14, Ms Sinckler struggled with her mental health in recent years had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.
Despite taking prescribed medication for the condition, the post-mortem toxicology report revealed she had not been taking it for at least a week before her death.
At the time of her death Ms Sinckler lived with a friend in Ramsgate, Kent, where she had been for a year after moving along the coast from Folkestone.
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