A 'happy and devoted' wife and grandmother took her life after leaping into the River Thames, an inquest has heard. 

'Selfless' and 'family-focused' Tracy Jane Saiao, 55, was pulled from the water by three men after a member of the public spotted someone floating near Caversham Bridge.

The inquest heard how the grandmother, who worked for Mercedes, had tragically just moved into her 'dream home' overlooking countryside in Bugs Bottom but was suffering from depression and wanted to cut down her hours at work. 

Although she was given CPR which restarted her heart by three members of the public who desperately tried to save her, her brain had been starved for oxygen for the 5-10 minutes she was underwater and she sustained brain damage which led to her death.

Several members of the family attended the inquest into Tracy’s death on Friday, October 18 at Reading Coroner's Court.

Deputy coroner, Mr Ian Wade, heard in a statement from Tracy’s daughter Alice that in days prior to her death, Tracy was her normal happy self as she helped her daughter and granddaughter get ready for their summer holidays in Europe.

“Family was the most important thing to her and she went above and beyond for everyone that she loved,” the coroner heard.

“She was so excited for her grand-daughter to go on her first holiday and on the weekend before it happened we spent a mother-daughter day shopping for holiday clothes.

“On the morning of her death she text me “have a good day at work x”.

In a report by her GP, Tracy had been diagnosed with depression years earlier and was prescribed medication for her mental health.

The coroner heard that this may have been due to bereavement and the death of her parents.

Mr Wade said: “In 2023, she visited her GP who noted that she had been feeling low for around six to twelve months despite having a granddaughter

“Although they discussed further talk treatments, Tracy told the GP that she wanted to cut down her hours at work to spend time with her family. A later appointment says that changes to job and spending time with family has helped.”

The inquest heard that at the time of the GP appointment she was feeling down and tearful but wasn’t having any suicidal thoughts.

Before the inquest, the family was allowed the chance to watch a section of CCTV footage that showed the moment when Tracy entered the water.

The camera was mounted on the side of the Caversham princess boat on the other side of the river 50 metres from the location when she entered the water.

Mr Wade noted: “In this circumstance the CCTV footage was crucial to the inquest.”

Footage showed that on April 29 at around 2:06pm she appeared on the path near Caversham Bridge pausing at the entrance to the tunnel appearing to ponder something.

After watching the footage, the coroner said: “She appeared to be aware of the water and for 54 seconds she was conscious of her surroundings.

“She stepped closer to the waters edge and deliberately jumped feet first into the water.

“There was no active movement or vigorous activity of the arms and she showed no sign of struggling, desperation, or an attempt to rescue herself.”

Tracy was initially spotted by witness Rebecca Crane, 320 metres between where she went into the River Thames and where she was recovered.

The conclusion determined that Tracy died from a hypoxic brain injury due to emersion in water.