No one expects playful pranks to back fire with quite the magnitude that occurred when two Australian radio DJs called the ward that the pregnant Duchess, Kate Middleton, was in while she was being cared for last week. In a tragic turn of events, when the prank was exposed nurse Jacintha Saldanha, who took the call and put it through, has been found dead. The DJs, Mel Greig and her colleague, Michael Christian, are extremely distressed in the fallout of their joke.

Details are yet to have been confirmed, but it's suspected that Ms Saldanha's cause of death was suicide. The Huffington Post reports that Mr Rhys Holleran, the chief executive of the radio station, said "This is a tragic event that could not have been reasonably foreseen and we're deeply saddened by it. I spoke to both presenters early this morning and it's fair to say they're completely shattered." Adding that they had been offered counselling and that  "These people aren't machines, they're human beings. We're all affected by this." 

While Mr Holleran defends the station and his employees, and the hospital defends its own employees, elsewhere people are trying to find a place to find blame and criticism, reports the Mirror. Labour MP Keith Vaz, who has visited Ms Saldanha's family, said: "The hospital has sent them a letter, which I have seen, but I'm surprised that nobody has made the journey to Bristol to sit with them and offer them the counselling that I think they need." 

However, it has in fact been made "clear that the hospital would offer any support it could. [Ms Saldanha's partner] said he was grateful for the offer, and the hospital invited him to reflect on whatever help he would like." The hospital have also set up a memorial fund to provide financial support, and have already made a donation.