Homeless man starved to death while dangling from skylight for six days

A homeless man starved to death after he got trapped in a skylight trying to enter an empty home.

Khaled Aribi, an Algerian asylum seeker, was found dead by an estate agent after she arrived for a viewing at the home in Walthamstow, north east London.

The 32-year-old got his finger trapped in the skylight and an inquest heard he had been dead for ‘some considerable time’ before he was found.

Coroner Dr Shirley Radcliffe told East London Coroner’s Court: ‘The circumstances of the death are somewhat unusual.

‘The deceased male was hanging from a skylight in the ceiling.’

CCTV showed him climbing over the property’s wall six days before when he was found.

Toxicology tests on his liver found cocaine and a psychiatric drug called Pregabalin.

Mr Aribi’s last known address was between Euston station and Regents Park in north London.

He was not living there at the time of his death and was described as having ‘no fixed abode’.

He had been under the care of the Camden and Islington mental health team in late 2023 and had anxiety and depression.

At the time of his death, he was on a waiting list for counselling and had been described as ‘a very vulnerable adult, at risk of sexual exploitation.’

The post-mortem examination found his death was caused by dehydration, starvation and ketoacidosis – high levels of acid in the blood, caused by malnourishment.

Dr Radcliffe continued: ‘On the ground around the perimeter of the skylight were small pieces of stone.

‘His hand appeared to be trapped between the glass of the skylight and the stone of the ceiling.

‘It would seem that he had gained access to the roof of the kitchen with the skylight, had attempted to get into the property via the skylight and, tragically, the skylight had closed on his fingers and he was unable to free himself.

‘It was clear that was the source or the place of entry because all other windows and doors were locked.’

She added: ‘He was an individual seeking asylum in this country and part of his mental health problems related to issues that had arisen in his previous country.’

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