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The body of a "beautiful and talented" young woman was discovered in her Bolton home a year after her death . Charlotte Leader, 23, was found deceased in her flat on Newbury Walk, Bolton, Greater Manchester, during a police welfare visit on August 6, Bolton Coroner's Court was told. Charlotte's mum, Chantay Simm, revealed that the family had not heard from her daughter since September 2021 and that, despite their efforts to locate her, she was "impossible to find". Neighbours also informed police they would never see Charlotte leave her home. Her family paid tribute to her on social media, writing: "Charlotte was a very beautiful and talented young woman. Her many talents were playing the guitar and keyboard and she also had a love for art. She was loved tremendously by the family and will be missed every day." Assistant Coroner Stephen Teasdale told the court that Charlotte had "suffered from mental health issues", adding: "In time, she becomes a stranger from the family, she pushes people away, and she disengages from the mental health services as well.", reports the Mirror . Mr Teasdale revealed Charlotte had turned down a mental health appointment in 2022 and had no further contact with services. He also confirmed that there were "no illicit drugs found at the scene" and that her diaries contained nothing to "suggest that as a problem". Charlotte's sister, Caroline Calow, revealed that the 23 year old had battled with eating disorders, including bulimia, from a young age. She noted that the flat was devoid of "any medication" and gave the impression of being inhabited by "someone who cared", rather than "the flat of someone who had given up". A "large volume of letters" were found behind the front door by police, along with food in the fridge bearing sell-by dates of July 2024. Charlotte's body was subsequently discovered under her duvet. Detective Inspector Paul Quinn described the flat as "sparsely furnished" and "immaculately clean", stating that there was "no suggestion she intended to take her life, or anything to suggest she would do anything untoward". He also mentioned the discovery of boxes of a detox cleanser. DI Quinn informed the court that the only conversations on Charlotte's phone were with ChatGPT, which she had sought help from. Her final message, dated July 30, 2024, read: "Help me, I've went and got food again." The bot responded: "You sound conflicted about having food," to which Charlotte replied: "It's food that I didn't want and that's frustrating." DI Quinn added: "There were others all in the same context – there's no conversations with anybody, her only contact was with ChatGPT." Dr Andrew Coates, a pathologist at Royal Bolton Hospital, stated that examining Charlotte's remains was "difficult" due to her body having become "mummified", a condition he deemed "not unreasonable" over the course of a year. Mr Teasdale concluded the inquest with an open verdict, indicating there was insufficient evidence to ascertain the cause of death.
