Zaid Jawad was found dead in another resident’s room at the Salvation Army hostel in Bristol, a week after his family reported him missing to the charity and police
An inquiry has been launched following the tragic death of a man at a Bristol homeless shelter, whose body was not found for a week despite his family reporting him missing to both the charity operating the hostel and the police.
Avon and Somerset Police have referred themselves to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) in relation to the circumstances surrounding the death of Zaid Jawad. His body was discovered at Logos House, a Salvation Army hostel in Bristol, on Saturday, January 3.
The family expressed their shock upon learning that Zaid, 40, had actually passed away in the hostel – in another resident’s room. Astonishingly, that resident continued to reside there, with Zaid’s body present in his room, even though hostel staff and police had been notified of his disappearance, for nearly a week.
Two individuals were taken into custody by Avon and Somerset Police, but have since been released on police bail. No charges have been filed as the investigation into the circumstances of Zaid’s death continues.
Zaid had been residing at Logos House over the Christmas period. However, when his two sisters, Dina and Tegan, were unable to reach him, they reported him missing to the Salvation Army on Sunday, December 28, reports Bristol Live.
The following day, Monday, December 29, the Salvation Army reported him missing to the police. Yet it seems that the hostel, which accommodates up to 93 people, was not searched.
It was only on Saturday, January 3 – a full six days after he was reported missing – that a more thorough examination of CCTV footage revealed Zaid had never left the hostel. His last sighting was entering another resident’s room the previous Saturday evening and not emerging.
The room was inspected on Saturday afternoon, leading to the grim discovery of Zaid’s body – seven days after he was seen entering the room and six days after his disappearance was reported.
Zaid’s family believe he died on that Saturday night and expressed their shock upon learning that the resident of the room where Zaid died continued to use his room without reporting the death.
“I believe he died on that Saturday evening, December 27 into the 28th,” stated Zaid’s sister Dina. “He wasn’t found until January 3. We’re in complete disbelief that he was there for seven days and no one is taking accountability for it.
“He was left to rot, basically. Because of the length of time he was there, the initial post mortem was not able to tell us why he died. The first we were told that he had been found dead was by phone call, and we were told he’d been murdered. Now they say they don’t know why he died. It’s absolutely shocking,” she added.
“It’s just absolutely awful. To think he was lying there all the time, for a whole week after we reported him missing, and no one even properly looked for him. They just assumed he’d gone off but he was there in their hostel all that time, it’s unbelievable,” she added.
“There’s a sense that, due to his situation, they didn’t take it seriously when he disappeared. It’s inhumane. Regardless of the circumstances or how he died, he’s my brother. We were informed they were checking on him three times a day, but later we discovered they only do that for some of the residents, and they only check everyone’s rooms on a Saturday.
“We’re extremely upset – we may never understand why he died,” she added. “All sorts of thoughts cross your mind – we have so many questions. Was he lying there still alive, for how long? Could his life have been saved if they had found him sooner? There are questions we fear we may never get answers to,” she expressed.
A representative for the Independent Office of Police Conduct stated they were evaluating the referral, and no decision had been made yet about whether they would initiate an investigation into the conduct of Avon and Somerset police.
“We can confirm we have received a referral from Avon and Somerset Police regarding this matter,” she confirmed. “We will now assess the referral to determine if any further action may be necessary.”
What is the police’s response?
A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset police verified: “Detectives are investigating the death of a man after a body was discovered in the St Judes area of Bristol on Saturday 3 January. At 2.17pm, officers conducting enquiries as part of a missing person investigation found a man deceased inside a flat on Wade Street.
“While formal identification is yet to be completed, the deceased is believed to be a man aged in his forties. His family have been informed and are being supported by specially-trained family liaison officers. A forensic post-mortem examination was completed on Sunday, but the findings were inconclusive. Further tests are now being carried out to establish the man’s cause of death,” he said.
Authorities confirmed that two men, aged 43 and 61, were arrested on Saturday and have since been released on police bail. It is understood one of the men arrested was the individual in whose flat Zaid was discovered, and the other is a man who had visited there during the week Zaid’s body was present.
“Our thoughts are with the man’s family at this very difficult time. We are making sure they are supported and will continue to keep them updated,” stated Neighbourhood Inspector John Shaddick. “While our investigation is still at an early stage we do believe him to be the person officers were trying to locate as part of the missing person investigation.
“The man was reported missing to the police on Monday December 29, having not returned to his flat since Saturday, December 27. He was found in another flat by officers on Saturday, January 3, after a review of CCTV footage.
“A mandatory referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), as is routine in these circumstances,” he added.
A spokesperson for the police has issued a plea for any information that could assist their ongoing investigation. “If you have any information which could help our investigation, please call 101 using reference number 5226001884. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously by calling 0800 555111 or through its website.”
What’s the Salvation Army’s take on this?
The Salvation Army describes Logos House as a ‘Lifehouse’ catering to men over the age of 22, with most of the 93 rooms in the complex being en-suite. The charity stated: “We offer a safe, supportive environment for individuals,” adding that all residents at the Lifehouse have ties to Bristol but require emergency accommodation.
Referrals to stay there are made by the city council, and typically, men reside there for an average of six to twelve months.
Bristol Live questioned the Salvation Army about how it was possible for a man reported missing from Logos House to remain undiscovered within the building for a week, and what measures were taken to search the premises.
In response, a spokesperson for the Salvation Army said: “Our team at Logos House Lifehouse are devastated by the death of Zaid and our thoughts are with his family and friends. As there is an active police enquiry underway, it would not be appropriate for us to make any further comment at this time.”
Zaid’s sisters expressed their desire for a thorough and comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding their brother’s death, along with an examination of what lessons could be gleaned from the failure to locate him. “We want things to change now. We didn’t deserve this, and no other family should be going through this in the future,” she said.
