2006, a woman was found in her London apartment, as a skeleton, after 3 years of being dead - with the tv still running.

Joyce Carol Vincent's story is a heartfelt account of urban loneliness, exacerbated by modern financial systems that concealed her absence. Vincent, the youngest of five sisters, was born on October 19, 1965, in Hammersmith, London, to Grenadian parents. Her mother's early death at the age of 11 was a key emotional event in her life. Her career carried her from a bright start in the corporate world, including a prominent term at Ernst & Young, to a sudden reversal that placed her in a domestic abuse shelter, indicating her personal troubles.

Vincent's work life, which had earlier flourished in London's bustling financial districts, took a terrible turn, prompting her retirement from Ernst & Young in March 2001. This period marked the start of her isolation from social and professional circles, which culminated in her relocation to a bedsit in North London. Her isolation led to estrangement from family and friends, ultimately resulting in her death in December 2003 at the age of 38.

The finding of her body in January 2006, in a stage of severe decomposition, underscored the intense loneliness that marked her final years. 

Her body was in such advanced decay that the cause of death could not be definitively confirmed. Speculations include an asthma attack and consequences from a recent peptic ulcer, both of which she was known to have suffered from.

The method for automatic bill payments was important in this tragedy. Vincent had set up automated payments from her bank account to cover her rent and utilities expenses. This arrangement kept her utilities on and her rent paid for a long time after she died, delaying the discovery of her death. The Metropolitan Housing Trust, which owned her flat, was unaware of the arrears until they had piled to nearly £2,400, triggering an investigation that led to the tragic discovery. Due to debt forgiveness and automatic payments, her television and heater remained turned on, giving the impression she was still alive.