A 'reclusive' woman found dead at a house may have lain undiscovered for months as neighbours thought she had gone to stay with friends before the lockdown.
The body of the woman, believed to be aged in her early 30s, was discovered by police at an address in the Sparkbrook area of Birmingham on May 7.
Officers have now confirmed the death is not being treated as suspicious and has been referred to the coroner, reports Birmingham Live.
But the tragedy has sent shockwaves through the close-knit community, who thought the woman had been staying with friends since before the lockdown on March 23.
One neighbour - who described the woman as 'reclusive' - said the smell from the property was 'overpowering' and they have been unable to open their windows.
"She called to wish me a happy birthday," neighbour Donnette Miller said.
"I tried to call her in February, but she didn't answer and I couldn't hear any noises coming from next door so I presumed was staying elsewhere. I had no reason to think otherwise."
When police knocked at Donnette's door on May 7 to ask if she had seen her neighbour, she told them she thought she'd gone to stay with a friend.
But Donnette was left stunned when, a short while later, officers returned to say they'd found a body inside the terraced house.
"My legs turned to jelly and I couldn't stand up," she said.
"She had lived there for years and initially we would talk and she'd even do me some shopping or top up my electric for me.
"But as time went on she became more and more reclusive.
"I didn't see her often at all, but i'd hear noises coming from next door and could hear her walking round the house.
"Then it went silent. I didn't know anything until police knocked my door almost a fortnight ago.
"I've had nightmares since. No one has been back to clean the property either, the smell has been overpowering - we've not been able to have our windows open."
Neighbour Eileen Whitmore, aged 73, said she had last seen the woman more than a year ago.
"It's horrendous and so very sad and upsetting. She was so young," Eileen said.
"It's affected our nerves and i've been having nightmares.
"It is unclear what led police to be contacted, but the force confirmed they had found the body of a woman at the house.
A West Midlands Police spokeswoman said: "We were called to Beechfield Road, Sparkbrook on Thursday, May 7, where a body, believed to be that of a woman in her 30s, was found at a house.
"The death is not being treated as suspicious and has been referred to the coroner."
