Imagine disappearing from the world and having no one wonder where you are for more than two years. That is what happened to Joyce Vincent, a 38-year-old woman who died alone in her London apartment around December 2003. Her absence went completely unnoticed, and her body was not found until 2006.
When they finally entered the apartment, they found a scene that was difficult to forget: her skeleton remained in front of the television, which was still on, and nearby were wrapped Christmas presents whose intended recipient was never known. Part of her rent was paid automatically, and the neighbors believed the apartment was empty. Even the bad smell was attributed to the nearby garbage containers.
The saddest part is that Joyce had not always been alone. Those who knew her remembered her as sociable, fun, and someone with friends. However, during her final years, she left her job, lost contact with several people in her circle, and even lived for a time in a shelter for victims of domestic violence.
Little by little, everyone stopped hearing from her, apparently believing that she had simply moved on with her life. While London continued moving on the other side of her door, more than two years passed before someone discovered that Joyce was no longer there.