Sinéad O’Connor’s neighbours say she was “happy and smiling” in the days before her death.
The ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ singer was found dead on Wednesday (26.07.23) after years of suffering mental health issues and 18 months after the mum-of-four’s son Shane, 17, took his life in January 2022 after escaping hospital while on suicide watch in his tribute.
In the weeks before her death she had moved to a humble flat in south-east London to finish working on her latest record, and local Farath Moragammanage told MailOnline about their world-famous neighbour: “I last saw her about two weeks ago. She seemed happy and was smiling and waved. “She was with a friend and she said she was going to Brixton with a friend from Ireland. She told me she was a famous singer and she must have moved in about weeks six weeks or so ago. She was living there on her own.
“Around 5pm on Wednesday I saw a private ambulance turn up and it was there for a few hours before leaving. I didn’t make the connection until I saw the news and realised it was my neighbour. It’s so sad. I feel so sorry for her.”
Another neighbour told MailOnline: “I would often see her on the street smoking a cigarette and we would exchange a few words every now and then.”
Clyre Day, 71, said: “I used to see her looking over the balcony and I remember she used to keep her lights and windows open all night.
“She would talk to the locals and people knew who she was but I don't think she had lived here very long.
“I saw all the police outside on Wednesday, there must have been about six of them.
“It’s very sad. I wouldn’t say I was a fan but I loved that one song that made her famous.”
The new build block where Sinead lives is a converted 1940s warehouse just a few minutes walk from Brixton.
Police said on Thursday (27.07.23) they are not treating Sinéad’s death as suspicious.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “Police were called at 11.18hrs on Wednesday, 26 July 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.”