Nurse Who Fell Victim To Royal Hoax Was Found Hanged, Authorities Say

By Mark Memmott

Published December 13, 2012 at 7:33 AM CST

Westminster Coroners Court in London, where the inquest into the death of Jacintha Saldanha was held.

Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse "fooled by a hoax call to the London hospital treating the Duchess of Cambridge was later found hanged," the BBC says.

Saldanha, as we've reported, answered the phone last week when two Australian radio hosts pretending to be Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles called King Edward VII's Hospital. She transferred the hoaxers to another nurse, who then divulged some details about the condition of the pregnant duchess. The prank was a huge embarrassment for the hospital.

The 46-year-old Saldanha was found dead last Friday. Today at a coroner's inquest, the BBC says:

Detective Chief Inspector James Harman told the court: "On Friday 7 December Jacintha Saldanha was found by a colleague and a member of security staff. Sadly she was found hanging.

"There was also injuries to her wrist. The London Ambulance Service was called to the scene. At this time there are no suspicious circumstances."

The BBC adds that investigators say they found two notes in Saldanha's room. There's no word about what was written.