An inquest has opened into the death of a woman who lay dead for around six weeks while she was meant to be under the care of the mental health trust.

Coroner Nadia Persaud opened the inquest for Sophia Yuferev, 37, on Tuesday, February 15 – weeks after initially declining to hold one.

Sophia was found decomposing at her flat in Bridge Point on November 16.

Coroner’s officer Brenda Dowsett told Tuesday’s hearing that the North East London Foundation NHS Trust (NELFT), which treated Sophia for paranoid schizophrenia, had reported her missing “as they had not had any contact with her for around six weeks.”

When police entered the flat, she said, they found Sophia “laying on her back on the floor".

She was discoloured, disfigured and larvae were present in her body.

A post-mortem at Queen’s Hospital gave her cause of death as ketoacidosis – high levels of acid in the blood – caused by either excess alcohol or diabetes.

But last month the Recorder interviewed her mother Maria Stockdale, from Harold Hill, who said Sophia was teetotal.

A June 2021 letter from NELFT stated that Sophia did not abuse alcohol and was not at risk of diabetes.

However, an anti-psychotic drug she was supposed to receive fortnightly – Flupenthixol Decanoate – is known to cause diabetes in some patients.

Maria fears Sophia's death may have been caused by medication.

“She was healthy,” she said. “She was a vegetarian. On her blood tests she had good levels on everything. I can’t understand how this has happened.”

The Recorder’s story prompted Havering councillor Bob Perry to write to the coroner, requesting an inquest.

Ms Dowsett said that following further enquiries of Sophia’s GP and NELFT, the pathologist had altered her cause of death, saying the cause of her ketoacidosis was unknown “due to decomposition”.

The full inquest will be held on July 20.

Ms Persaud ordered NELFT to provide statements from Sophia’s consultant and care coordinator, hand over her last six months of medical records, and supply a copy of a Serious Incident Investigation Report it is currently compiling.

Cllr Perry said: “I am glad to have assisted in getting this inquest for the family, although I think it should have been granted without my intervention. Hopefully they will get the closure that they seek.”

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