Inside the home of Natalie Wood: Coroner releases images from home of woman who lay dead for eight years

THE story of Natalie Wood, who lay dead in her home for eight years before she was discovered forced a city to do some soul-searching. For the first time, we now see inside her home.

NEW photos have been released showing the squalid living conditions of Natalie Wood, dubbed the ‘Woman Sydney forgot’.

The remains of Ms Wood, 86, were found by police in July 2011 in the upstairs bedroom of her Surry Hills home, eight years after she died.

Worn stairs in Natalie Wood’s unit lie covered in dust. Picture: NSW Coroner's Court

The makeshift kitchen had seen better days. Picture: NSW Coroner's Court

Her death was the subject of a Coronial inquest last year during which these images, only recently released to the public, were shown, ninemsn reports.

The photographs paint a sad, lonely picture of her final years. Inside the cramped main bedroom where her body was discovered were two old wardrobes and a mirrored dresser. Make-up, a watch, scissors and a diary were found on top of a set of dusty drawers.

Natalie Wood (nee Davis) in an early 1930s school photo at Crown Street Public School.

Natalie Wood lay undiscovered and dead for eight years in her Surry Hills home.

A bed frame was found but no mattress. On the frame Ms Wood had laid out her walking stick, glasses, gold earrings and medication.

The walls were in a state of disrepair. Wallpaper was coming away while the gyprock was crumbling and cracking. Carpet on the stairs leading up to the bedroom was frayed and worn. Thick layers of dust covered everything in the house.

Makeup and other assorted items lie strewn across the dresser. Picture: NSW Coroner's Court

Ms Wood had fashioned a makeshift kitchen with a small table, gas oven and kitchen sink. In a storage unit police found canned food and two minute noodles.

The inquest heard Ms Wood went to her last medical appointment on December 18, 2003 but missed her next appointment the following February.

From the outside ... the Surry Hills unit where Natalie Wood’s body lay for eight years.

She also last withdrew $400 from her Commonwealth Bank in September 2003. Her electricity meter was virtually not used after April 2004 and her last bill was paid from a post office on July 2004.

State Coroner Magistrate Michael Barnes declared it was likely the former David Jones machinist had died alone shortly after Christmas 2003 on her bedroom floor, backdating her date of death to early 2004.

Tributes and flowers from strangers lie outside Natalie Wood’s home following the discovery of her body.

A walking stick covered in dust lies on the frame of a bed. Picture: NSW Coroner's Court

There was no mattress on the bedframe in her room. Picture: NSW Coroner's Court

Natalie Wood’s unit was in a total state of disrepair. Picture: NSW Coroner's Court

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