Daniela Espirito Santo was unlawfully killed inquest jury rules

A woman died as a result of an unlawful killing as she reported an assault by her then partner, a jury has concluded.

Daniela Espirito Santo, 23, died from “acute myocardial insufficiency” on 9 April 2020 as she called the police to report an assault by her then-partner Julio Jesus at her home in Chestnut Grove, Grantham.

At the end of a two-week inquest in Lincoln, the jury said Lincolnshire Police had “missed opportunities to safeguard Daniela and her children”.

The force has issued an apology to Ms Espirito Santo’s children, family and friends.

The inquest heard Mr Jesus had been arrested for a separate assault and had been bailed that morning. He broke his bail conditions by returning to property he shared with Ms Espirito Santo.

In the jury’s statement, they said: “Daniela Santo had been subjected to domestic abuse, assault, and controlling and coercive behaviour by her then partner in the period leading up to 8 April 2020.

“She had an underlying heart condition known to her then-partner.

“She was assaulted twice and died as a result of the severe emotional stress leading to cardiac arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death.”

The jury also felt there had been failings in the handling of incidents between the 29 December 2019 until Ms Espirito Santo’s death.

“There was a failure to carry out a full investigation of all the available evidence,” the statement continued.

“If these actions had been carried out then the former partner on balance [of probabilities] would have remained in custody.”

During the inquest, questions were asked about a lack of practical training the police had received regarding controlling and coercive behaviour and domestic abuse and the recording of it as an offence.

Coroner Paul Smith referred to evidence suggesting Mr Jesus would not have been bailed if it had been recorded as a crime.

Following the conclusion of the inquest, Paul Gibson, the chief constable of Lincolnshire Police, said his thoughts were with Ms Espirito Santo, her family, friends and, in particular, her two children.

He added: “The jury have identified that Lincolnshire Police could have done more. We apologise to Daniela’s children, her family and her friends for the suffering they have endured since her death.

“There is more work to be done in our prevention of and response to domestic abuse.”