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Corpse lay next to TV for 3 years
Heating was still on in apartment where woman was found dead
Friday, April 14, 2006; Posted: 7:04 a.m. EDT (11:04 GMT)
LONDON, England -- The skeleton of a British woman has been discovered in her apartment nearly three years after she is believed to have died.
The woman, named as Joyce Vincent, was found lying on her back surrounded by unopened Christmas presents and the television and heating were still on, the UK's Press Association reported Thursday.
Her body was so decomposed that the only way to identify her was using dental records, a coroner's court was told.
Police believe the 40-year-old probably died of natural causes in early 2003 and was only found in January this year when local government housing officials visited the apartment in north-east London to collect thousands of pounds of rent arrears.
A spokesman for the coroner -- who recorded an open verdict -- said on Thursday that Vincent had apparently been placed in the women's refuge accommodation as a victim of domestic violence, PA reported.
When representatives from London's Metropolitan Housing Trust arrived at the property In January, they drilled the door open and discovered stacks of unopened post.
Some mail was marked February 2003. Medication and food had February 2003 expiry dates, a Trust spokesman said.
Pathologist Dr Simon Poole told the inquest -- attended by Vincent's relatives -- he had been unable to establish cause of death because the remains were "largely skeletal," but police do not regard the circumstances as suspicious, PA said
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