The family of a care worker questioned whether he had actually ended his life, or if a third party had been involved and made it look that way, during an inquest on Thursday, July 28.

Rowelito Santos was found on land in Ambleston on March 2, 2022.

His wife, Imelda said that she was not convinced that her husband would carry out such an action. And that before his death he had asked her to take him ‘right there and then’ to Oxford.

“It seemed like he was afraid of something, but I didn’t know what,” she said.

Mrs Santos added that her brother-in-law, who was a prosecutor in the Philippines has questioned the circumstances of the death, saying that somebody could have ‘done something initially’ and then made it look like he had committed suicide.

Pembrokeshire Coroner, Paul Bennett said that there was nothing to point to this.

“The police have made extensive enquiries into the situation,” he said. “There has not been any suggestion of criminal activity or involvement by any other person. There is no evidence,” he said.

Mrs Santos agreed that scene of crime investigators had been involved and ‘did not find anything peculiar whatsoever’.

Coroner’s officer, Lisa Jenkins, told the hearing that Mr Santos had moved to Haverfordwest in 2003 and got a job in Parc y Llyn nursing home.

In 2020 he had separated himself from his family eventually moving out.

He and his wife re-established communication in January this year. The following month he started to noticeably lose weight. He subsequently contracted Covid and had to self-isolate.

On March 24 he told his daughter that he wasn’t feeling well, had lost his appetite and was struggling to look after his dog.

Two days later a colleague found him in an agitated and restless state.

He told her he felt he was putting people at risk and said that he had tried to end his life while he was self-isolating. He said that he needed to go home but would return.

A subsequent phone call went unanswered and at 4pm the owner of the land where Mr Santos’ caravan was located found him.

An ambulance was called but Mr Santos could not be saved.

A post-mortem conducted by Dr John Murphy recorded death as a result of hanging.

Pembrokeshire coroner, Paul Bennett, said that there appeared to have been a ‘down turn in Mr Santos’ mental health.

“While I understand the family’s concerns as to whether a third party may have been involved, I can’t reach the conclusion. There is no evidence in support of it,” he said.

He said that the fact that Mr Santos had ended his life in a place where he ‘was unlikely to be found for some time’ could be interpreted as intention.

“On the balance of probabilities Mr Santos intended to take his life and took steps so to do,” he said before recording a conclusion of suicide.”

www.mind.org.uk and www.samaritans.org are among the organisations that can offer support with mental health.

Why do newspapers cover inquests and how do they work?