Laura Winham’s body lay undiscovered for over three years after social services ignored multiple warnings

For three years, Laura Winham’s lifeless body remained in her flat, unnoticed and decaying. The 41-year-old, who struggled with severe mental health issues, had been left entirely alone—ignored by the very authorities meant to protect her.

Her skeletal remains were finally discovered in May 2021 when her brother, fearing the worst, requested a welfare check. But by then, it was far too late.

A coroner’s inquest at Surrey Coroner’s Court has now exposed a devastating series of failings. Social services, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and Woking Borough Council all had opportunities to intervene—but none did. Despite warnings about her deteriorating state, their response was chillingly inadequate: a letter, a phone call, but no visit.

In her diary, Winham documented her desperate struggle. By late 2017, she had stopped buying food. One entry read: “It has been a whole month since my last food shop. I cannot believe I have survived this long.” A calendar in her flat showed dates crossed off until November 1, 2017—the day she likely died.

Her family, heartbroken and furious, believe she was completely abandoned. They had stepped back years earlier, respecting her wishes due to her worsening paranoia. “We thought she was being supported,” her sister said. “We trusted the system. That trust cost Laura her life.”

The coroner condemned the handling of her case as “perfunctory in almost every way.” Yet, despite acknowledging the missed chances, the court ruled it was impossible to confirm whether intervention would have saved her.

Authorities are now scrambling to defend themselves. Surrey County Council issued an apology, admitting Laura “did not get the support she needed.” But for her grieving family, it’s too little, too late.

Winham’s story is more than just a tragedy—it is a devastating example of social care failure that left a vulnerable woman to die alone and unnoticed in her own home. Her family is now demanding urgent reforms to prevent another case of neglect, ensuring no one else suffers the same cruel fate.