Today, a coroner heard that a young woman whose body sat uncovered in her social housing apartment for nearly four years may have starved to death.
Laura Winham was discovered in a “mummified” form with her 2017 calendar, which had the words “I need help” written on it.
In May of 2021, her ‘nearly skeleton’ body was discovered in her Woking, Surrey apartment after her relatives requested entry.
The assistant coroner, Dr. Karen Henderson, was informed yesterday that the vulnerable 38-year-old woman, who struggled with schizophrenia and physical limitations, seemed hungry and without access to food on October 6, 2017, when officers spotted her.
On her calendar, Laura Winham, who had schizophrenia, had written, “I need help.”
The court heard that police officers notified social services, but all they did was send her a letter about food banks.
An attorney for Miss Winham’s family stated that she may have been in imminent danger of starving.
Miss Winham’s last known food purchase was more than a month prior, on September 4, according to Kate O’Raghallaigh, who told the Surrey Coroner’s Court: ‘The police saw a lack of access to basic food provision…there is evidence of malnourishment potentially leading to starvation.’
Miss Winham was well-known to mental health professionals, and her apartment was located on a tree-lined avenue beside a row of stores.
Even years after her death, housing benefits continued to pay her rent.
The relatives of Miss Winham observed yesterday’s events via video link. They have described their suffering as their beloved sister’s schizophrenia caused her to hear voices threatening to harm her.
Three and a half years had passed since anyone from social services or her mental health team had checked on the woman, who resided in a council flat in this Woking building.
They made the difficult decision to withdraw and allow specialists to take over her care after she became distressed when they approached her.
The coroner stated to Miss Winham’s brother, “I have met your sister and your mother, and I haven’t forgotten that at the center of this inquest is your sister, who is also your daughter, and I wish to express my deepest condolences for your loss.”
Miss Winham is said to have passed away in November 2017. She was recognized by dental records, and her cause of death could not be determined.
The court is currently searching for a gas engineer who may be a crucial witness.
In January 2018, he allegedly conducted a gas’safety check’ at Miss Winham’s housing association apartment, possibly as she lay dead inside.
At the pre-inquest review hearing, Miss O’Raghallaigh stated that the signature on the engineer’s gas certificate did not appear to match earlier examples of Miss Winham’s signature.
The hearing was informed that efforts were being made to locate the gas engineer in order to determine whether or not he saw Miss Winham alive.
Due to the period of time that passed before her body was recovered, it may never be known when or how she died, the coroner’s court was told. It was necessary to identify her using dental data.
Through their attorneys at Hudgell Solicitors, Miss Winham’s family is attempting to expand the scope of the inquiry to include any council service failures.
Both Surrey County Council, which is responsible for social services, and Woking Borough Council, which is in charge of housing, sent barristers to represent them at yesterday’s preliminary hearing ahead of the probable full inquest in April.
Surrey County Council admitted failing to follow up on the police recommendation, but stated that this may have been the fault of a single individual and not the system as a whole.
Nicky Winham, Miss Winham’s sister, stated, ‘We had always hoped that she would recover with expert assistance and that our relationship would resume one day.
We never imagined for a second that we would find her dead on the floor after she had lain there for so long without anyone noticing. Laura had been so severely disappointed.
The next preliminary hearing is planned for March 15.
»Woman who went four years without being found after being “mummified” could have starved«