Horsham woman's body discovered by window cleaner

A Horsham woman was found dead in her home by a window cleaner, an inquest heard.
Ayshe Court Drive, Horsham. Picture: Google MapsAyshe Court Drive, Horsham. Picture: Google Maps
Ayshe Court Drive, Horsham. Picture: Google Maps

The inquest into the death of Karen Vowels, 62, was opened at Crawley Coroner’s Court on Tuesday.

The inquest heard how Sussex Police was called to her home in Ayshe Court Drive, Horsham, on January 29 last year after a window cleaner reported seeing a woman's body lying unresponsive through the glass.

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Inside, there was blood in the kitchen, and in the living room there was blood-stained clothing and more blood that someone had attempted to clean up, the inquest heard.

Ayshe Court Drive, Horsham. Picture: Google MapsAyshe Court Drive, Horsham. Picture: Google Maps
Ayshe Court Drive, Horsham. Picture: Google Maps

There was also an empty bottle of wine on the living room floor.

Ms Vowels had an injury to the back of her head and was pronounced dead at the scene.

On January 31 last year, at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill, a post-mortem examination showed the cause of death was hypothermia, a hepatic abscess (commonly known as a liver abscess), head laceration and ethanol abuse.

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Her death was originally recorded as natural causes, a mistake which had only recently been highlighted, which is why the inquest had been opened more than a year after Ms Vowel's death, the inquest heard.

Coroner Christopher Wilkinson adjourned the inquest to a date no sooner than May 7 this year.