By Body of Hull woman undiscovered for weeks
A Hull woman was tragically found dead in her bed after it was revealed that her body lay undiscovered for weeks.
Dorothy Darnley, 66, of Suffolk Street was discovered by police after neighbours reported not having seen her for almost a month.
Officers for Humberside Police began speaking to local residents on the street in September 2019 after complaints of gardens overhanging.
But when one knocked on the door of Ms Darnley’s home there was no answer.
The officer became concerned when she noticed that the bins had not been emptied and that there were flies on the inside of the door.
Neighbours were then consulted about the whereabouts of Ms Darnley, and it was discovered that she had not been seen for around a month.
Officers then entered the property and discovered her decomposed body in a nightgown in her living room.
An inquest held at Hull Coroner’s Court heard that Ms Darnley had no friends or family.
She had regular contact with a taxi driver who helped her with her shopping and bills every one to two weeks.
Aside from mobility issues, Dorothy Darnley was in good physical health.
PC Newport gave evidence that he discovered Ms Darnley was “recluse” and said neighbours had reported concerns.
He said that “it was evident Ms Darnley would hoard items”.
Ms Darnley was also diagnosed with Schizoid personality disorder, a condition which leads people to avoid social activities.
A postmortem was carried out, and there was evidence of severe decomposition.
There was no evidence of violence.
The cause of death remains unknown, but is not thought to be suspicious.
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