Woman Discovered Dead After Three Years Left Heartbreaking Diary Entries In Final Days

An isolated and vulnerable woman was reportedly "abandoned and left" to die by social services, according to her family.

Laura Winham, a resident of Woking in the UK, was tragically found dead in her apartment in May 2021.

Officials believe she may have been deceased for over three years before her "mummified" body was discovered.

The 38-year-old, who was deaf and suffered from schizophrenia, documented what are thought to be her final days in her diary.

An inquest is currently underway in Surrey, England, to investigate what happened in the years leading up to her death.

The inquest aims to determine how Winham ended up so isolated from society.

During the inquest earlier this week, a pathologist explained to the court that, because of how long her body had remained undiscovered, it would not be possible to accurately determine the time of her death.

Laura Winham was discovered dead in her own apartment after more than three years of no contact with her family PA Media

However, officials did find a calendar in her apartment with dates crossed off until November 1, 2017.

Three years and six months later, her "almost skeletal" remains were found.

But the pressing question remains—why hadn’t she been in contact with her own family?

And why do her relatives believe that social and mental health services failed her?

Winham had become estranged from her family. Her relatives shared that she told them to stop contacting her, cutting them out of her life because she believed they wanted to harm her.

It was her brother who made the grim discovery, finding her in a "mummified" state.

On October 3, Coroner Karen Henderson read heartbreaking excerpts from Winham's diary, which shed light on the harsh reality of her final days. She had run out of money, food, and, ultimately, hope.

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

On September 15, 2017, she wrote: "Wish I’d bought rice. Dreaming of [food]. Anyway, I’m starving."

Just thirteen days later, on September 28, 2017, another entry 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."

One of the most chilling entries, dated sometime in October, read: "It has been a whole month since my last food shop. I cannot believe I have survived this long."

Her diary contains multiple references to surviving on minimal food, including cheese and potatoes, and at one point, she noted she had "about £5 left on me."

During the inquest, an official from Surrey County Council explained that the authority has since revised its policies. Now, if letters go unanswered, a council employee will be sent to follow up.

A representative from Woking Borough Council also spoke, saying that Winham’s vulnerabilities should have been flagged within the housing system.

Winham was deaf and suffered with schizophrenia Facebook / Laura Winham

In February 2016, Winham had written to the local authority, explaining that she had been surviving only on her savings and her Disabled Living Allowance (DLA) benefits. She mentioned this when asked to reapply for her benefits, which included a medical assessment.

The inquest into Laura Winham's death is ongoing.