UK graduate fell to death from Golden Gate Bridge

A successful British graduate fell to her death from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco after surfing suicide websites, an inquest heard today.

Olivia Crowther, 23, from Stroud, Gloucestershire, had been looking at macabre webpages showing "tall buildings and bridges" from which to leap and "top 10 ways to commit suicide," Gloucester Coroner's Court heard.

Ms Crowther, who was planning a career in publishing, flew to the US from her east London flat and checked into a hostel on June 24 2008. Her body was found by the California Highway Patrol the next day.

But despite "anecdotal" evidence pointing towards suicide, coroner Alan Crickmore said there was not enough evidence to satisfy that verdict - and he recorded an open verdict instead.

A statement from Ms Crowther's mother Philippa said she and her husband Mark became alarmed when they could not contact their daughter, who they regularly spoke to on the phone.

The couple, who both attended the inquest today, visited Ms Crowther's flat in Whitechapel and found it "uncharacteristically tidy", Mrs Crowther said.

Her parents inspected her computer and found references to flights to San Francisco.

Mrs Crowther, an occupational therapist, said: "We could not find her passport. We became concerned when we found websites about tall buildings and bridges.

"The police commenced their enquiries and took her computer. Later that day - the 27th - we received a phone call advising us that a body had been found of an English girl."

She added: "My daughter's death come as a shock to us all. We had no indication that she was planning to do such a thing. We found no note."

DC Neil Swiers, of Gloucestershire Police, examined Ms Crowther's computer and discovered she had accessed several websites both with tips on how to commit suicide, but also suicide prevention.

A medical history read to the inquest, held at Gloucester Shire Hall, revealed she first complained of mild depression and "suicidal thoughts" in June 2006.

Ms Crowther had also suffered from a bladder complaint for more than 12 months at the time of her death, the inquest heard, but numerous visits to different doctors had failed to cure the problem.

Summing up the evidence, Mr Crickmore said the only person who witnessed Ms Crowther fall from the bridge was dock worker Ed Reyes.

But without being able to question Mr Reyes, the coroner said, he could not be satisfied Ms Crowther intended to take her own life.

He said: "I don't know if Mr Reyes saw her take a position that was perilous. I don't know if he saw her hang on to the ledge and let go."

He added: "This is one of those cases where I cannot be sure - with the standard of proof required by the tests - that she intended to take her own life. Nor can I be sure the death was accidental."

As well as her parents, Ms Crowther left behind younger sister Hannah, who was 22 at the time of her death.

Ms Crowther had recently gained a 2:1 degree in English from Sussex University.