Police are investigating the death at the Swiss suicide clinic Dignitas of a wealthy British widow, Kathleen Dobson, amid a row between her children over her decision to kill herself.  

But on Sept 5, 2008, Mrs. Dobson, from Guernsey, travelled to the Dignitas clinic and, in the presence of two of her three sons, took a lethal drug to end her life.
Her third son, Robert Carlton, believes she should not have been allowed to do so since a requirement that all her children be notified of her intentions was not fulfilled. His concerns have led police to launch an investigation into the claims.
“I was kept in the dark over her visit to Dignitas and was never sent any documents by them or anyone else,” said Mr. Carlton, from Dorset.
“If I had been aware of what was going on I would have flown to Guernsey and put a stop to it. She was not terminally ill and the last time I spoke to her – on Sunday, Aug 31, 2008 – she sounded in good spirits. “She gave no inkling to me she was about to take her life and did not mention that my name was being used to validate the documents for Dignitas.
In my view, Dignitas have behaved appallingly and their actions and the actions of others need to be fully investigated.” Mr. Carlton has also questioned a change to his mother’s will made in June 2008 which saw her leave her £815,00 bungalow to his brother Richard Carlton.
He said that he believed his mother had already left the proceeds from the sale of her £1.7?million former home to Richard. All three sons were left £697,040 each in their mother’s will while Richard Carlton’s wife, Nicola, received £100,000.
Robert Carlton said he spoke to his mother several times a week and she never mentioned a change to her will or her Dignitas plans, despite having filled in a form requiring photocopies of her instructions to be sent to all her sons in April that year.
Mr. Carlton said he only received the document after she had died. He said he knew his mother was in pain but he would have urged her to see a doctor for depression and looked into a nursing home if she wasn’t coping.
“She was a very rich woman and she could easily have afforded more care for herself if that was what was required,” said Robert. “She had aches and pains like many elderly women but she was still enjoying life.”
Her son Graham Carlton, who lives in Florida, said in an email to a Guernsey detective in November 2008 that he told his mother that she was asking him “to be party to an illegal act” when she told him her plans. He said she was adamant that Robert was not to know about her plans. He said he was present at a meeting with a doctor at Dignitas when Mrs. Dobson was asked if she had told her sons.
“He asked if all three sons were in support of her decision to which she replied 'yes’ in complete contradiction to the truth,” he said.
A friend who knew her for more than 10 years declined to be named but told a Sunday newspaper that she had “no idea” of the Zurich trip. “This is very sad and upsetting and mysterious,” she said.
Richard Carlton and his wife were unavailable for comment.
A spokesman for Guernsey Police said: “We will be following up any further lines of inquiry we feel necessary and appropriate.”
In total, 1,041 people travelled to Switzerland to end their lives with the help of Dignitas between 1998 and 2009, with half German and the second-highest number coming from Britain.
The Daily Telegraph disclosed in February that a record number of Britons ended their lives in Swiss “suicide clinics” last year with more than 30 people travelling to die with the help of Dignitas or clinic Ex-International. The first Briton died at Dignitas in 2002.
People wanting to end their own life are firstly interviewed by volunteers at Dignitas and an independent doctor before signing an affidavit stating their wish to end their own life.
In cases where a person is physically unable to sign a document, a short video film of the person is made.
(Source: HealthDay News)