A reclusive woman who neighbours claimed they hadn't seen in 20 years was found dead in her home weeks after her last contact with support workers.

Sandra Lee died a lonely death in her Taverham home almost two years ago - the precise causes of which remain a mystery. She was 75.

An inquest into her death heard her body was found on November 22, 2022, after her daughter - who lives in Australia - contacted the police with concerns about her welfare.

Officers gained access to her home and found her inside.

The cause of her death was identified as ischemic heart disease, but it remains unknown how long ago she had died.

Norfolk Coroner's Court heard she had last been spoken to by a social worker in September, while another who visited the home at the beginning of November received no answer at the door.

Mrs Lee lived alone in Nutwood Close, Taverham, but had two children and three grandchildren - who all live in Australia.

Some of her neighbours reported to social workers that they had not seen her in 20 years.

Social services became involved in her life earlier in 2022 after Brenda Cote, a mental health worker, raised safeguarding concerns about her living conditions.

On visiting her property, Mrs Cote grew worried about Mrs Lee's emaciated presentation - her hair had become straggly, she was wearing dirty clothes and her nails were long and drying.

In a statement, Mrs Cote told the court the property had a strong smell of cat urine - despite Mrs Lee not presently owning cats - and many of her belongings were stained with faeces. 

But she said Mrs Lee was reluctant to accept support and had a tendency to tell professionals what they wanted to hear to avoid further help.

She said: "My concern was that she was not being open with professionals and my biggest doubt was around her capacity to make informed decisions over her future care."

She added that a colleague had described Mrs Lee's living conditions as "the most squalid they had ever seen".

Between May and July of that year, Mrs Lee was treated at Julian Hospital, a mental health facility in Norwich - during which time her home was deep cleaned by Broadland District Council.

(Image: Google)

However, after she returned, social workers found signs she was beginning to struggle again.

But in September, Mrs Lee declined further support.

On November 2, Alison Roe, a new social worker assigned to support her, visited her home but had no answer. 

Three weeks later, police found Mrs Lee dead inside her home.

Yvonne Blake, area coroner for Norfolk, concluded that Mrs Lee had died of natural causes.

She said: "We do not know exactly when she died - it is impossible to say."

She went on to praise Mrs Cote's efforts to support Mrs Lee as "superhuman" - but that communication between other agencies involved could have been better.

 

Family left in the dark

Following the inquest, Kristen Lee, Mrs Lee's daughter, said she had felt as though she had been left in the dark over her mother's struggles.

The court heard that social services did not have her contact details - and that while her mother's GP surgery did they were never shared.

It heard prior to her death, Mrs Lee had fallen out with her daughter over her attempts to get her support with her living arrangements. 

She said: "Unfortunately for my mum, she died alone.

"I was kept in the dark while being in Australia and had I known the details that emerged, I would have returned to the UK to help coordinate my mother's care.

"She was kind and generous, asking very little of others."