Edinburgh woman left with unanswered questions after husband left dead in council toilets for six days
A grieving wife is demanding answers after her husband lay dead for six days inside Edinburgh council’s customer support hub toilets.
On July 7, Sean Stephen, 38, from the Southside of Edinburgh, was pronounced dead after emergency services responded to reports of an unresponsive man at the council office on the Royal Mile.
At the time, police said Mr Stephen’s death is ‘being treated as unexplained but not believed to be suspicious’. But it has been reported that Sean’s widow, Julie Stephen, is now demanding answers from the council and police.
Ms Stephen told the Daily Record she was on the phone with her husband on July 1 when he entered the council’s customer hub near the City Chambers after ‘feeling unwell’. She later reported her husband missing after not hearing from him.
Speaking to the Daily Record, Ms Stephen said: “There’s CCTV footage of him on the phone to me walking up the Royal Mile and into the council building. He was healthy but said he was feeling dizzy and sick. He said he was going to get a taxi.
“That was the last time I spoke to him. How’s no one been in that toilet for six days, it baffles me. There are security guards, cleaners and someone who sits at reception. The CID are still digging. Could he have been saved? These are questions which will be in my head for rest of my life.”
A GoFundMe page launched to help Sean’s family cover funeral costs has now see more than £2,500 raised. Adele Ford, a close friend of Sean who setup the crowdfunder said donations will ‘lift a bit pressure of his wife Julie and family’.
She added: “This was very unexpected, he was only 38-years-old and he had his full life ahead of him. He was the most loving gentle giant you'd ever meet and was well known by a lot of people. We are absolutely devastated and any help would be appreciated to give him the best send off he deserves. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "At 9.20pm on Tuesday, we received a report of concern for a 38-year-old man in the Edinburgh area who failed to make an pre-arranged appointment."Enquiries were carried out to trace him and he was traced deceased on Monday, 7 July in the High Street area of Edinburgh."
A spokesperson for the City of Edinburgh Council said: “We're continuing to assist Police Scotland with their inquiries and can't comment any further at this stage. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family and friends during this difficult time."