Coroner's team admit they don't know when Sinead O'Connor died as attempts are made to piece together Irish music legend's last days
- The singer's body was found at her flat in London on Wednesday morning
The coroner investigating the death of Sinéad O’Connor has said it is not known when she died, as attempts are made to piece together her final days.
The 56-year-old’s body was discovered at her flat in London on Wednesday morning after police carried out a welfare check on the singer.
Met Police officers are now examining all the circumstances surrounding her death and are attempting to create a timeline of events before her passing.
A spokesperson for the London Inner South Coroner’s Court said the singer’s death had been referred to them and at this moment in time the ‘date of death is unknown’.
The Met police released a statement on Thursday confirming the discovery of the mother-of-four’s body.
It said: ‘Police were called at 11.18am on Wednesday, July 26, to reports of an unresponsive woman at a residential address in the SE24 area. Officers attended. A 56-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Next of kin have been notified. The death is not being treated as suspicious. A file will be prepared for the coroner.’
The coroner investigating the death of Sinéad O’Connor has said it is not known when she died, as attempts are made to piece together her final days
The 56-year-old’s body was discovered at her flat in London on Wednesday morning after police carried out a welfare check on the singer
The building in Lambeth, south London which contained the appartment of Sinead O'Connor after her death at the age of 56
The new-build block where Ms O’Connor lived is a converted 1940s warehouse just a few minutes’ walk from Brixton. She had filmed the apartment in footage shared online and revealed plans to ‘write new tunes’ – as she hinted at a forthcoming album and a world tour.
No medical cause has been given for the death and an autopsy will be conducted with results taking ‘several weeks’ to be delivered, London Inner South Coroner’s Court said yesterday.
Police were called on Wednesday to the home in the SE24 area of the British capital, which covers Herne Hill and sits between Brixton and Dulwich. Ms O’Connor had posted on social media that she had moved back to London and felt ‘very happy to be home’ in a video shot in her new flat on July 9.
The social media video was filmed by the singer to prove it was her Twitter account and showed she was in the process of unpacking. Apologising for the mess, she laughed and called the modern flat a ‘s***hole’ because her belongings were on the surfaces. But there were also jokes about putting Vaseline on her face to look after her skin and a mention of ‘beautiful’ sunflowers, which her friend had bought as a housewarming gift, placed in a vase in the kitchen.
The singer moved into the area in early July. In the Twitter video, she also proudly showed off her black Martin Johnny Cash electro-acoustic guitar on the wall and said she was going to write new songs.
She hinted that she would release a new album ‘next year’ and ‘hopefully’ start touring again, with dates in Ireland, the UK, Australia and New Zealand mooted for 2024 and 2025. David Holmes, who was producing Ms O’Connor’s new album, said he had concerns for the singer after her son, aged 17, died by suicide last year.
No medical cause has been given for the death and an autopsy will be conducted with results taking ‘several weeks’ to be delivered, London Inner South Coroner’s Court said yesterday
On Thursday, Ms O’Connor’s management company, 67 Management, sent their love to the singer’s family and friends, and to the fans who it said had always given the star ‘support and kindness’ throughout her life
In an interview with The Guardian, Belfast musician Holmes said those mourning the singer should focus on the joy she brought into her lives. He said: ‘I remember at the time thinking: I don’t know if she can survive this because I understood the fragility of her and how much she loved Shane.’
Holmes said he does not know when her new album will be released but described it as ‘very, very special’. He said: ‘There’s so much more I could talk about but it’s way too early to start talking about the music.
‘I don’t know when it’s gonna see the light of day, and that’s none of my business. It’s up to her estate and record label. But it’s extraordinary. It’s up there with her best work – it’s very, very special.
‘I want to mourn her but also celebrate her because that’s what we do in Ireland. We celebrate our deaths. Yes, she was taken far too young, but there’s so much to celebrate rather than talk about the negative aspects of her life. Sinéad was tortured but she was really happy as well and part of me thinks that she is now at peace.’
Holmes also spoke about his excitement at working with her on what would turn out to be her final album, which he believes is among her finest work.
‘I was like, oh my God, this is like recording Nina Simone,’ he said. ‘There’s no one else like her. She’s got one of the purest voices we will ever hear in our lifetime.’
On Thursday, Ms O’Connor’s management company, 67 Management, sent their love to the singer’s family and friends, and to the fans who it said had always given the star ‘support and kindness’ throughout her life.
‘Those that worked with her and those that supported her from the sidelines, thank you,’ the company’s statement said.
Yesterday, members of the public arrived at the Mansion House in Dublin to sign a book of condolences for the late singer.
In London, red paper hearts and the words ‘Nothing Compares to You’ were laid out on Old Bond Street in tribute to the star.
