Tragic mum’s haunting text to mum and desperate cry for help before being found at bottom of cliffs
A MUM sent a haunting text to her mother and made desperate cries for help before she was tragically found at the bottom of a cliff.
Mum-of-one Danyell Sinckler, 32, died after falling near South Foreland Lighthouse in Saint Margaret’s Bay, Dover, last May.
The “big-hearted” teaching assistant had made several desperate attempts to call 999 before her lifeless body was found, an inquest heard.
Her family have now raised questions over the police’s handling of the case, and expressed doubt over whether she took her own life.
A hearing at County Hall in Maidstone was told the tragedy unfolded after Danyell had an argument with her boyfriend, Leon Morris, at the Cramptons pub.
It became heated and spilled out into the car park, leading to Danyell driving away.
Over the next few hours, she sent a series of messages to her friends, family and Mr Morris stating her intention to end her own life.
In a chilling text sent 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 replied to say she was in Dover, but added: “You’ll be too late.”
Between 9.30pm and 9.40pm, Danyell called 999 three times and 112 twice, but sadly none of these calls connected.
Cops could not determine if this was due to poor signal on the cliff-top or if she had ended the calls before they could be answered.
Her boyfriend, however, claimed because of poor signal he never received the messages Danyell sent him, which included her exact location, the inquest heard.
Danyell’s mum spent the rest of the night desperately trying to find her daughter and came heartbreakingly close at one point.
As she scoured Dover, she pulled up to the gates of South Foreland Lighthouse, but drove away after mistaking the entrance for a private driveway.
Eventually, Ms Eaton was forced to return home without finding her daughter, but waited until morning to report her missing – as Danyell had begged her mother not to call police as she had been drink-driving.
TRAGIC FIND
At 10.15am the next morning, Danyell’s body was found by a National Trust worker on the shore.
The inquest heard that despite Danyell having a history of mental health issues, her death came as a shock to loved ones as she had recently graduated from Canterbury Christ Church University and seemed excited about her career plans.
Her cause of death was given as multiple injuries.
On Thursday, the area coroner for central and south east Kent, Katrina Hepburn, adjourned the inquest until May to consider her conclusion after the family raised doubts over whether Danyell took her own life.
They fear her tumultuous relationship with her boyfriend may have been a factor in her death, after reading messages on Danyell’s phone when it was released back to them by police.
The couple had known each other for six years but had recently reconnected romantically at the time of Danyell’s death.
However, at the inquest, DS Kite said: “We found insufficient evidence to show a direct link between [her romantic partner’s] actions and Danyell Sinkler’s death.”
‘BIG-HEARTED’
The inquest was adjourned until May, when Mr Morris will be called to give evidence.
Speaking after the hearing, Ms Eaton paid tribute to her daughter, 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.
“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.”
In 2019, Danyell spoke exclusively to The Sun about how social media had driven her to spend £7,000 on cosmetic surgery.
Danyell detailed the cosmetic surgery she’d had done but said she regretted “changing myself to look like everyone else”.
After saying that she had body dysmorphia, Danyell said at the time: “Now I work out to get a fit and healthy body rather than looking for a quick solution and I limit my time on social media.
Speaking to KentOnline, Mrs Eaton confirmed Danyell “did suffer from body dysmorphia”.
She added: “She never really felt she was good enough – I think like a lot of young girls nowadays.
“Social media had created that low self-worth, which is not very nice because she was absolutely beautiful.”
You're Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
- Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk
- Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123
- Movember, www.uk.movember.com
- Anxiety UK www.anxietyuk.org.uk, 03444 775 774 Monday-Friday 9.30am-10pm, Saturday/Sunday 10am-8pm