Daniela Espirito Santo

Daniela Espirito Santo died after her partner assaulted her.

Her partner was initially charged with her manslaughter, but the charge was later dropped after it was heard that doctors were unable to prove a direct link between the assault and her death.

She was found at her home in Chestnut Grove, Grantham at 11.30pm on Wednesday 8 April 2020, 14 hours after she reported an  initial assault to the police and ten minutes after she reported being assaulted again. She had called the police at 9.45am on 8 April 2020, stating that her partner had climbed on top of her and put his forearm across her throat, making it difficult for her to breathe.

The police came out to see her and she told them that her partner had also assaulted her on 28 March 2020.

Her partner was then arrested, interviewed and bailed with conditions not to contact Daniela Santo in any way and not to attend her address. However, he went back to her home at 8pm and Daniela Santo called the police again at 11.20pm to report it and to say that he had assaulted her again.

When the police then went to her house at 11.30pm, they had to force their way in and found her dead.

It was noted that during the second 999 call Daniela Santo had been advised to call the non-emergency 101 number by a call handler after she confirmed that her partner had left. It was also noted that the call handler had not check the call logs during the call and was unaware of her earlier calls until after the call and that it was only after the call handler looked at the logs that it was decided to send the police.

It was noted that Daniela Santo had reported her partner to the police seven times in the previous twelve months. The calls had included reports that her partner had made death threats and had attempted to strangle her.

Daniela Santo's cause of death was stated to have been due to heart failure that had been potentially precipitated by an altercation, with a secondary cause of death as scarring of the heart muscle in keeping with previous inflammation.

Her partner was later charged with her manslaughter and two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm but the Crown Prosecution Service later withdrew the manslaughter charge because medical experts could not prove a direct link between the assault and Daniela Santo's death. However, her boyfriend admitted both assault causing actual bodily harm charges and was sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment.