Husband and spouse discovered lifeless in scorching tub as grotesque reason for loss of life is revealed
Thomasina and Patrick Tobin were found dead in the hot tub of their Spanish holiday villa near Valencia last week – and an autopsy has now confirmed the cause of their accidental deaths
An Irish woman and her husband were discovered deceased in the hot tub of their Spanish holiday villa (stock image)
The causes of death for an Irish woman and her husband have been confirmed after they were discovered in the hot tub of their Spanish holiday villa.
Post-mortem examinations suggest that Thomasina and Patrick Tobin suffered fatal heart failure after becoming trapped in the hot tub at their villa near Valencia. One theory suggested that both cardiac arrests were induced by physical exhaustion during their frantic efforts to free themselves, while another suggests one of them was electrocuted and the other died trying to rescue them.
“Preliminary analyses indicate that the victims suffered cardiac arrest brought on by acute stress following physical exhaustion and the desperation of the moment,” reported respected Valencia publication Las Provincias newspaper on Sunday morning (August 30).
Thomasina Tobin née McArdle, originally from Co Monaghan, who died with her husband in Spain
The couple, who were married with two teenage children and lived in London, tragically lost their lives at their holiday villa in Cullera, near Valencia, last week. Mrs Tobin, born McArdle, was a quantity surveyor originally from Castleblayney in Co Monaghan.
She was 51 years old, reports Galway Beo. Her spouse Patrick, aged 48, hailed from New Zealand.
It’s believed the couple had been residing at the villa in the prestigious residential area known as Cap Blanc in Cullera for up to a fortnight before the tragedy occurred. Their two teenage children found them lifeless in the hot tub and promptly alerted authorities.
Deadly hot tub
Initially, homicide detectives probed their deaths due to marks and scratches found on both bodies, but foul play was quickly dismissed. Instead, officers are now exploring the possibility that the couple met their end in a tragic accident while using the outdoor hot tub at their holiday let.
It has since emerged that on Saturday (August 29), police inspected the hot tub for the third time – this time accompanied by an industrial hot tub specialist. The expert joined the Guardia Civil team at the request of an investigating magistrate – as judges supervise such investigations in Spain.
The specialist’s task was to evaluate the power of the suction fittings in the hot tub – to ascertain whether they ensnared one or both of the victims inside the hot tub. Las Provincias reported that investigators are considering the theory that the tub’s hydro-massage system generated a strong suction effect that suddenly trapped Mr and Mrs Tobin under the water.
Cullera beach aerial skyline in Mediterranean Valencia of Spain Drone point of view(Image: Getty Images)
It is thought that the couple then struggled desperately to free themselves. The paper states: “According to the first investigations, the excessive suction force would have imprisoned the couple inside the bathtub, which triggered a situation of extreme anguish and desperate physical effort to free themselves from the hydraulic grip.
“The autopsy findings almost definitively reinforce the theory of accidental entrapment. Preliminary analyses indicate that the victims suffered cardiac arrest brought on by acute stress following physical exhaustion and the desperation of the moment.”
The post-mortems also showed that scratches found on their bodies were not due to any third-party violence, but rather from them trying to rescue each other. The report further proposed another scenario where one victim might have experienced a cardiac arrest due to electrocution from a suspected fault in the tub, while the other perished trying to save them.
“Heartbroken children”
Mrs Tobin was a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and pursued a career as a Chartered Surveyor. She contributed to several notable projects in the UK, including the Ritz and the Shard building, both situated in London.
The Department of Foreign Affairs previously confirmed to the Irish Mirror that it was aware of the incident and was providing consular assistance to one Irish citizen. While initial reports suggested that both Mr and Mrs Tobin were of Irish nationality, it was later confirmed that he was a citizen of New Zealand.
“The autopsy findings almost definitively reinforce the theory of accidental entrapment” (stock image)
A representative informed the Irish Mirror: “The Department is aware of this case and is providing consular assistance in the case of the Irish citizen concerned. As with all consular cases, the Department does not comment on the details of individual cases.”
Family members from Monaghan flew out earlier this week to support the couple’s heartbroken children.
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