A tragic diary entry has been revealed during the ongoing inquest into the death of Laura Winham, a 41-year-old woman who was discovered in a “mummified and almost skeletal” state in her flat. The inquest, currently taking place at Surrey Coroner’s Court, is examining the circumstances surrounding her death, which was uncovered on May 24, 2021, when her family requested a welfare check from the police, told The Mirror.
Authorities believe that Ms. Winham had been deceased for approximately three years before her body was found. Her cause of death remains “unascertained,” but the coroner has provided insight into her final months by reading from her diary entries. These heartbreaking entries paint a picture of her struggles in the months leading up to her death.
Though the exact date of her death remains unclear, a calendar found in her flat showed dates crossed off up until November 1, 2017, told Liverpool Echo. Her diary entries revealed her severe state of starvation. One entry from October 2017 read: “It has been a whole month since my last food shop. I cannot believe I have survived this long.” Another poignant entry, dated September 15, 2017, simply stated: “Wish I’d bought rice. Dreaming of (food). Anyway, I’m starving.”
Photographic evidence from Ms. Winham’s flat depicted an almost empty kitchen. Her fridge contained only a tub of margarine and tomato sauce, while her cupboards held nothing but a few herbs, spices, salt, and vinegar. Small bags of loose change, consisting mainly of 1p and 2p coins, were also scattered throughout the flat.
The inquest further revealed that Ms. Winham had experienced severe mental health issues, which led to a strained relationship with her family. According to her sister, Nicola, Ms. Winham had asked for “minimum/no contact” with them in 2014, due to a belief that her family might harm her. Her last physical contact with her family was in 2009.
Nicola testified that the family was aware that interacting with Ms. Winham could worsen her mental health condition. “We knew that contact with us exacerbated her mental health difficulties,” she explained. Susan Harrison, who chaired a safeguarding adults review panel, supported this view, stating that the family “had done absolutely everything they could have done in these circumstances given Laura was so determined to keep them at arm’s length.”
Nicola also described how her brother and mother, concerned for Laura’s welfare, visited her flat in Woking. After receiving no response to their knocks, they peered through the letterbox and saw what they believed was a severely decomposed body. “They called the police and forced entry. Inside, they found a mummified and almost skeletal body. Both of them saw this, and the shock can never be forgotten,” she told the court.