Kate Middleton hospital receptionist who put through prank call from Aussie DJs found dead in apparent suicide

National Post Staff | Dec 7, 2012 10:09 AM ET | Last Updated: Dec 7, 2012 12:09 PM ET
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Britain's Prince WiIliam, the Duke of Cambridge, (L) and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, leave the King Edward VII hospital in central London, on December 6, 2012. Prince William's pregnant wife Catherine left a London hospital on Thursday, four days after she was admitted for treatment for acute morning sickness. AFP PHOTO/Leon NealLEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images

 

The nurse receptionist at a central London hospital that treated the Duchess of Cambridge for severe morning sickness has apparently committed suicide, only two days after falling for a prank by two Australian radio DJs.

Australian radio personalities Mel Greig and Michael Christian. (Handout)

 

The DJs, posing as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, called the King Edward VII Hospital on Wednesday morning at 5:30 a.m. to inquire about Kate’s condition and were patched through to another nurse, who revealed private health details about the duchess.

Australian radio personalities Mel Greig and Michael Christian later apologized for the hoax — sheepishly noting that they were surprised that the call was put through and that their Australian accents were not detected.

Authorities found Jacintha Saldanha unconscious at 9:30 a.m. local time on Friday, according to UK media reports. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The hospital confirmed in a statement she was the employee who’d been the victim of a recent hoax.

“Jacintha has worked at the King Edward VII’s Hospital for more than four years,” John Lofthouse, the hospital’s CEO, said in a statement. “She was an excellent nurse and well-respected and popular with all of her colleagues.”

Lofthouse said the hospital had been helping Saldanha through a “very difficult time” after the prank phone call.