A 38-year-old susceptible girl, whose physique was discovered three years after her demise, was “abandoned and left to die” by social and psychological well being companies, in line with her household.
Laura Winham’s stays had been discovered by her brother in her flat in Woking, Surrey, in May 2021, after she died in November 2017.
A pre-inquest evaluation at Surrey Coroner’s Court heard the county council did not observe up on police considerations.
Kate O’Raghallaigh, representing the Winham household on the evaluation, mentioned Surrey cops visited the girl’s flat when she was nonetheless alive in October 2017.
She mentioned the police reported considerations, that she had been neglecting herself and had little entry to meals, to Surrey County Council.
“There was a risk to Laura of malnutrition and self-neglect in October 2017 when she was observed by police,” Ms O’Raghallaigh mentioned.
But the council did not observe up on these considerations, the listening to was informed.
The inquest heard that the precise date of demise is unknown – a calendar in Ms Winham’s flat had dates crossed off till November 2017.
Her physique was present in May 2021 – three-and-a-half years after her demise – when Ms Winham’s household mentioned they requested police to interrupt into her house after they grew involved for her security.
A reason behind demise has but to be decided, which Ms O’Raghallaigh described as a “very unusual factor in this case”.
Katie Ayers, representing the county council, mentioned the authority accepts a care evaluation for Ms Winham ought to have been carried out after the police go to.
“What Surrey County Council has accepted is that a section nine check should have been completed but it was not,” she mentioned.
Ms Ayers added: “There may have been a risk in relation to malnutrition. At this stage that would seem to be speculative.”
Ms O’Raghallaigh requested assistant coroner Dr Karen Henderson to have interaction a forensic anthropologist to analyze whether or not Ms Winham’s demise was attributable to malnutrition and set up a window of time wherein she might have died.
Dr Henderson mentioned she is going to present a written determination on the matter within the coming weeks.
She scheduled one other pre-inquest evaluation for 15 March and set a provisional full listening to date for 3 April.
The evaluation beforehand heard that Ms Winham was present in a “mummified almost skeletal state”.
Her sister Nicky Winham mentioned the household was unable to keep up contact along with her as years of schizophrenia had led her to consider they’d hurt her.
Source: information.sky.com”
