Helena Wakefield was found dead in this Suzuki Swift on St Vincent ave in Remuera. Photo: Stuff / David White
A woman who was found dead in her car which she had been living in since being evicted from a Remuera house died from natural causes.
Helena Pauleen Wakefield, 72, had been living in her red Suzuki Swift for at least a month, when she was found dead in the back-seat on 7 July, 2022.
In 2021, Wakefield's brother, Larry Wakefield, a retired geologist in Australia, went to court over a dispute involving their late mother's home, in Dempsey St, Remuera, where Wakefield had lived until her mother's death on 21 May, 2019.
The dispute culminated in Wakefield being evicted from her late mother's home. A year later, she died on St Vincent Ave - 1.7km from the Dempsey St property.
Wakefield's death was referred to Coroner Tania Tetitaha who found she had died from emphysema, a lung disease often caused by long-term smoking.
Tetitaha said she died between 26 June and 7 July.
A police investigation found Wakefield had likely been living in her car since early May.
Wakefield's body was found by an Auckland City Mission worker and a local resident who were worried about her welfare.
One neighbour said they spoke with Wakefield on 25 June and asked if she needed help but received a "limited response".
Another neighbour who had noticed the car on the street and believed someone was living in it called police and Auckland Council but got no response.
The neighbour rang Auckland City Mission who went round the next day and found Wakefield's body.
Papers found in Wakefield's car related to the civil dispute she was having over her mother's estate.
Despite Wakefield living in her car, Tetitaha said there was evidence Wakefield had access to money and housing.
She received an Australian pension of $873.88 a week and was due to get her share of her mother's estate.
She had been evicted in December 2021, but her brother had offered her six months of paid temporary accomodation. She did not accept the offer.
Her belongings were put into a storage unit at her expense, and she was told they would be disposed of if she did not collect them by February 2022.
All Wakefield took with her was the car and some clothes and she would not accept help or engage with her brother's lawyers.
"Helena was described as reclusive and noncommunicative," Tetitaha said, "a witness suspected she had undiagnosed mental health issues and may have refused to engage with social service agencies."
Larry Wakefield said he hired a private investigator to try and find Wakefield after her eviction but it was unsuccessful.
"Helena Wakefield died from natural causes. There was no contact from her family seeking to meet and discuss any concerns," Tetitaha said.
- This story was first published by Stuff.