Ruby Fox-Miligan was ready to come clean to both Charles Anderson and Manpreet Sharma but backtracked when the real cause of Ethan Anderson’s was revealed in Emmerdale.

Beth Cordingly’s ITV alter ego has been overwhelmed with guilt in recent scenes following Ethan’s death, which seemed to have been caused by her mowing him over with her car last month.

The troublemaker has been lurking around a grief-stricken Charles and Manpreet to ease her conscience but in a huge confrontation with her son Nicky on Wednesday, she agreed to turn herself in to the police.

During Thursday’s trip to the Dales (June 13), Ruby was tending to Charles and Manpreet as the couple – who are going through an intense rough patch – prepared for Ethan’s funeral.

Ethan Anderson died from a brain aneurysm, just like his grandfather Victor before him

But just as she was comforting them, Ruby learned that Charles received an important call from the coroner confirming that Ethan had died at the age of 28-years-old from a brain aneurysm, much like his grandfather Victor Anderson before him.

Ruby was then told that Victor’s condition could sometimes be hereditary and strike “at any time”, and she promptly left to join her own family back in Mill Cottage, sharing the news with a sigh of relief with her husband Caleb Miligan.

Although Ruby is off the hook, as some viewers had previously suspected, the twist was unwelcome and many soap fans slammed the storyline, devastated by the lack of justice.

One disappointed viewer wrote on X, otherwise known as Twitter: “they’re trying to say the hit and run injuries didn’t play a part in causing Ethan’s death.”

Another added: “Even if Ethan’s death wasn’t anything to do with Ruby surely she’ll still confess? She can’t live with herself, or so she says”, while a third agreed: “The coroner will say Ethan had something wrong with him so the witch gets away with it So predictable.”

A fourth TV watcher lamented: “Aneurysm was the cause of Ethan’s death… notice how quickly Ruby didn’t care any more”, just as a final fan commented: “I’m actually disgusted that Ruby is off the hook for Ethan’s death. Caleb can wave bye bye to having that ammo over his missus.”

Unfortunately, Ruby’s son Nicky was far from happy to see his mother dodge justice and, when he returned to the family home, a furious confrontation ensued between him and his father Caleb, with whom he has always had a complicated relationship.

Tempers flared up as Nicky, who was also friends with the late Ethan, refused to celebrate his mother’s innocence and eventually punched Caleb, with the violent scenes hinting at his upcoming exit from the eponymous village.