kerri anne donaldson found dead three days after arrest, inquest hears

Content warning: This article contains references to suicide and self-harm that some readers may find distressing.

A coroner's inquest has heard that dancer Kerri-Anne Donaldson died by suicide on 7 June 2023 (ET), three days after she was arrested and questioned about an alleged sexual offence. The 38-year-old, who had reached the semi-final of a national televised talent competition in 2014 as part of the dance troupe Kings and Queens, was discovered at her home in Farnborough, Hampshire.

Circumstances in the days before her death

The hearing in Winchester was told that Ms. Donaldson was arrested on 4 June 2023 (ET) and questioned at a police station about a sexual allegation that she denied. She was released following questioning but did not return to her family home. Her relatives reported her missing before she was located at a Travelodge hotel in Woking, Surrey, where she was taken to hospital after an overdose.

At the hospital, she told emergency staff she had intended to kill herself. Her sister, Cara, described arriving as Ms. Donaldson was being treated and later being with her through the evening. The family say they were not provided with a formal care plan or clear guidance on how to support her after she was discharged from hospital.

Cara told the inquest that the night before her sister was found dead, Ms. Donaldson had told her she had made the decision to take her own life. The following morning, worried messages went unanswered. When Cara went to her sister's home she found a note at the top of the stairs reading: "Call 999, do not come in. I am sorry. " A post-mortem examination indicated Ms. Donaldson took her own life.

Family reflections and inquest evidence

Throughout evidence given at the inquest, family members described Ms. Donaldson as career-driven, a popular dance teacher and devoted to her family and friends. They say she maintained that the allegation was false and that it had been "constructed. " Cara told the hearing she had been reluctant to leave her sister alone after the hospital visit and felt distressed that final exchanges in the hours before Ms. Donaldson's death suggested she was coping.

The inquest examined the sequence of events from arrest to hospital admission, discharge and the family finding her at home. Questions raised included whether more comprehensive risk assessment or follow-up care should have been provided after the emergency admission. The coroner heard that investigators were exploring the full circumstances surrounding her death.

Wider concerns and support information

The case has prompted renewed attention to the support available to people following arrest or after emergency hospital treatment for self-harm, especially where family members express ongoing concern. The inquest process will consider whether procedural improvements could reduce the risk of similar tragedies.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can seek help. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted at 116 123. In the US, callers can reach local crisis lines or the national number 1 273-TALK. If someone is in immediate danger, call emergency services.

The hearing continues as the coroner considers evidence surrounding Ms. Donaldson's death and the events that preceded it.