Laura Winham chronicled her final days in her journal, but it would be years before her corpse was discovered
An isolated and vulnerable woman was ‘abandoned and left’ to die by social services, according to her family.
Laura Winham, of Woking in the UK, was found dead in her apartment back in May 2021, but officials believe she may have been dead for more than three years before her ‘mummified’ corpse was discovered.
The 38-year-old, who was deaf and suffered from schizophrenia, chronicled what is thought to be her final days in her diary.
An inquest is currently being held in Surrey, England, to determine exactly what is believed to have happened in the years leading up to her death for Winham to be left isolated from society.
Laura Winham was discovered dead in her own apartment after more than three years of no contact with her family (PA Media)
Speaking during the inquest earlier this week, a pathologist explained to the court that due to how long the body had remained there, it would not be possible to pinpoint her time of death.
Officials did discover, however, a calendar which had dates crossed off until November 1, 2017.
Three years and six months later, her ‘almost skeletal’ remains were discovered.
But why hadn’t she been speaking to her own family – who claim social and mental health services in the UK were negligible for her death?
Winham had become estranged from her family members, with relatives explaining how she told them to stop contacting her and cut them out of her life as she believed they wanted to hurt her.
Ariel picture from 2006 of Woking, which is located roughly an hour-and-a-half drive away from London, the town that Winham lived in (David Goddard/Getty Images)
Tragically, she was found by her brother in a ‘mummified’ state.
Speaking yesterday (October 3), Coroner Karen Henderson read out heartbreaking extracts from Winham’s diary which painted the harsh reality of what may have been her final days – including her running out of money, food and time.
Taking to her journal on September 15, 2017, she penned: “Wish I’d bought rice. Dreaming of [food]. Anyway, I’m starving.”
Thirteen days later, on September 28, 2017, another read: “My mobile gave up on 7 September. I got a Tesco run in before it died. I have slept weeks away … I haven’t stocked any food for months because I don’t know what’s happening.”
While a third entry read dated sometime in October, read: “It has been a whole month since my last food shop. I cannot believe I have survived this long.”
She took to her diary several times with extracts hinting that she was surviving off cheese and potatoes, and had ‘about £5 left on me’.
Winham was deaf and suffered with schizophrenia (Facebook/Laura Winham)
An official from Surrey County Council explained to the inquest how the authority has since changed its policies since Winham’s death so that an employee of the council will be sent to follow up on letters that went unanswered.
A member of Woking Borough Council explained her vulnerabilities should have been flagged to the authority’s housing stock.
While back in February 2016, she wrote to the local authority that she has ‘only lived on my savings and DLA [Disabled Living Allowance] benefit’, when asked to make a new claim for her benefits which included a medical.
The inquest into Winham’s death continues.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
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