Homeless Man Dies of Starvation After Hand Trapped in Skylight

An estate agent found Khaled Aribi in Walthamstow last year. The agent was there for a property viewing. Mr. Aribi came from Camden and sought asylum. His body hung from the ceiling in a house on Hatherley Road. He had been there for nearly a week. The coroner called the death unusual.

The police used fingerprints to identify him. He was 32 years old, and his last address was on William Street, near Euston station and Regents Park. He didn’t live there when he died, and the inquest described him as having no home.

The coroner said he died long before discovery. Small stone pieces were around the skylight. His hand seemed stuck in the skylight, between the glass and the stone. He tried entering through the skylight, but it closed on his fingers, and he could not get free.

The other doors and windows were locked. CCTV showed him climbing the garden wall six days before he was found. Toxicology tests found cocaine and Pregabalin, a drug that treats psychiatric issues. He had anxiety and depression.

A mental health team helped him in 2023. He was waiting for counselling and was seen as a vulnerable adult at risk of sexual exploitation. His mental health issues came from problems in his home country.

The post-mortem indicated starvation and dehydration. Ketoacidosis, meaning high acid levels in the blood resulting from malnourishment, also contributed to his death. The coroner ruled his death an accident.