A dancer who appeared on Britain’s Got Talent was found dead three days after being arrested on suspicion of a sexual offence, an inquest has heard.
Warning: This story contains descriptions some readers may find distressing, including references to suicide.
Kerri-Anne Donaldson, who reached the semi-final of the ITV show in 2014 as part of the dance group Kings and Queens, was discovered at her home in Farnborough, Hampshire, on 7 June 2023.
Her sister, Cara, described how the night before she was found dead, Ms Donaldson, 38, had said she had made the decision to take her own life.
Two days before that, on 4 June, Ms Donaldson was arrested and questioned at a police station about a “sexual” offence, which she denied, an inquest held at Winchester heard.
After being released, she did not return home, leading her family to report her as a missing person before she was found at a Travelodge hotel in Woking, Surrey.
Cara told the hearing that when she arrived there, Ms Donaldson was being taken to hospital in an ambulance having taken an overdose.
She said her sister had told an emergency doctor at St Peter’s Hospital in north Surrey that she had wanted to kill herself and added: “I just wanted to hug her.”
Cara said they had not been given any care plan or advice on how to assist her sister when they left the hospital.
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Cara said she spent the evening with her sister and was reluctant to leave her alone, telling her: “If you do anything, Kerri, that will always be on my shoulders.”
She added: “She joked ‘I am not going to do that’, so I left. One of the last messages was ‘Thanks for everything today’ and she gave a heart emoji, I just thought she was OK.”
But when her sister did not answer her phone the next morning, Cara said she went to her home and found a note at the top of the stairs which said: “Call 999, do not come in. I am sorry.”
Cara said she had asked her sister about the allegation and her sister had told her that she was not guilty and that it had “all been constructed”.
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Describing her sister, she said: “Heart of gold, full of fun, brought happiness to life, especially mine, career-driven, adored her family, adored her friends, fantastic dance teacher, everyone loved her.”
The inquest was told of evidence from a post-mortem examination that indicated Ms Donaldson had taken her own life.
The hearing continues.
:: Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email [email protected] in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
