A mentally ill woman who had been dead for more than three years in her apartment was found in a “mummified, nearly skeleton state,” according to her family.
The NHS and social services allegedly “abandoned and left to die” Laura Winham, 38, before her body was discovered by her brother in May 2021. After being sent to social services twice in the preceding years, she is believed to have passed away in November 2017.
We’ve been in touch with Surrey Police and the NHS for comments. It was a “really unfortunate case,” according to Surrey County Council, and it would offer details for an upcoming inquiry investigating the death.
Schizophrenia sufferer Ms. Winham, who resided in social housing in Woking, Surrey, had grown distant from her family.
Her GP and Woking Community Mental Health Recovery received a referral in 2014, noting that she seemed to have “untreated mental health difficulties,” according to her family. There was no follow-up on this.
In what was likely the last time anyone saw Ms. Winham alive, officers from Surrey Police visited her in October 2017 and reported to Surrey County Council that she had been “self-neglecting, had little food, and appeared unsure of how to seek local resources for aid.”
The markings on Ms. Winham’s calendar ended soon after this visit. “I need help,” was written in one of the last entries.
Despite the “warning indications” of her mental health decline, according to her sister Nicky, “everyone seems to have turned a blind eye.”
Added her: “Everybody who had ever interacted with Laura or had a duty to care for her has since forgotten about her.
“She was left for dead and forgotten.
It is simply heartbreaking to consider how she spent her final years, unable to beg for assistance and alone.
Laura was twice reported to adult social care teams, once in 2014 and again by the police in October 2017, according to Iftikhar Manzoor of Hudgell Solicitors, who is representing the family.
Her requirements were not evaluated, according to the report. These were unquestionably obvious lost opportunities to act and perform a welfare check. It was a “really terrible occurrence,” a Surrey County Council spokesperson said.
They continued, “It’s crucial that every element of this intricate case be examined, and we’re dedicated to actively taking part in the inquest procedure. They affirmed that they would provide any data required to bolster the coroner’s inquiries.
