October 1st 2024.
After three long years, Laura Winham was finally found in her flat in Woking, Surrey. Her brother made the grim discovery in May 2021, but it was revealed in an inquest that concerns about her welfare had been raised by her family two months prior. They had reached out to the authorities after becoming worried for her safety, and unfortunately, their worst fears were confirmed.
At the time of her death, Laura was only 41 years old. Her family had expressed their belief that she had been abandoned and neglected by social and mental health services, leading to her passing in November 2017. This was a heartbreaking revelation, as it meant that her body had been lying in her flat for three and a half years before it was discovered.
The inquest, which was held at Surrey Coroner's Court, revealed that Laura's family had contacted Woking Borough Council in March 2021, two months before her body was found. They had expressed concerns about her well-being and mentioned that a lot of post had been piling up at her home. A door knock was carried out, but there was no answer. It wasn't until the end of May that her family received the devastating news that she had been found deceased.
According to a statement from a former employee at New Vision Homes, the landlord contractor for WBC at the time, it was clear that Laura was vulnerable and should have been flagged as such. This would have alerted the authorities to her situation and potentially prevented her tragic death. The inquest also heard that there had been numerous attempts by different agencies to contact her before her body was discovered.
One such attempt was made by a gas company in November 2018, when they tried to schedule an annual gas check for Laura's flat. Unfortunately, they received no response. Despite multiple attempts to reach her via phone and post, her gas was eventually capped in January 2019. The court was also informed that the housing functions had been brought back in-house in April 2022, and new measures had been put in place to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.
In March 2021, WBC had visited Laura's flat to inquire about reports of large groups of people gathering in communal areas outside her home. However, there was no answer when they knocked on her door, and there were no further reports on the matter. This only added to the tragic circumstances surrounding her death.
Nicky, Laura's sister, had previously shared that her family had been unable to maintain contact with her due to her struggle with schizophrenia. This had caused her to believe that they would harm her, making it difficult for them to stay in touch. The inquest also revealed that Laura had been served an eviction notice in April 2014 due to rent arrears. However, a housing support officer at WBC had intervened and raised concerns about her vulnerability. With their help, Laura was able to make a claim for housing benefits and avoid eviction.
It is a heartbreaking and unfortunate situation, and the inquest continues to uncover more details about Laura's passing. It is clear that she was a vulnerable individual who needed proper support and care, and it is important for authorities to learn from this tragedy and take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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