Family of Greek heiress questions two-week post-mortem delay in London death

London — The family of Greek shipping heiress Marissa Laimou, also known as Marissa Lemos, is pressing authorities for answers after she died at her London home on September 11 following a string of worrying symptoms. They say she reported dizziness, itching and a high fever in the days before her death and that a post-mortem has not yet been performed, preventing funeral arrangements in London and Athens for more than two weeks.

Medical care before her death involved care at two London facilities: the Leaders in Oncology Care (LOC) on Harley Street and University College London Hospital (UCLH). The family accounts describe a sequence in which blood tests were taken and an antibiotics drip administered, after which Marissa was discharged with prescribed medication, despite continuing symptoms such as itching, dizziness and a low blood pressure reading. They allege that no doctor examined her in person on the night of discharge and that the care, they say, did not address the seriousness of her condition. The family has engaged lawyers to pursue civil medical negligence claims against UCLH, saying the case calls into question what happened in the hospital setting and why a post-mortem has not yet been conducted. Local authorities have said investigations are ongoing as part of the coroner’s process.

Background on Marissa Laimou—30 years old at the time of her death—illustrates a life that bridged theatre and high-profile family status. Born and raised in London, she had recently returned from a Greek holiday and had overcome breast cancer in 2023, along with a rare blood disease known as hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Friends and family say she had rebuilt her life in London, pursuing theatre work and performances, including a recent production of Romeo and Juliet. She studied musical theatre in New York before returning to London in 2018, where she lived with her parents in Knightsbridge and shared close ties with her twin brothers and extended family. The Laimou family belongs to one of the best-known Greek shipping lineages, the Lemos dynasty, with business roots decades deep in the industry.

Authorities have acknowledged the case as a sudden death under investigation and have not yet publicly determined the cause. The Inner West London Coroner’s Court confirmed that investigations are ongoing and that the coroner is handling the matter. A UCLH spokesperson expressed condolences and noted that the hospital has initiated an internal review as part of the normal process for an unexpected death and that the post-mortem results would be provided to the coroner’s court when available. LOC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The delay in performing the post-mortem has become a focal point for the family, who say the lack of a formal determination prevents closure and hampers their ability to lay Marissa to rest in both London and Athens. Advocates for the family have emphasized that the post-mortem is a critical step in establishing whether Marissa’s symptoms were the result of an infection, an allergic reaction, or another medical condition, and they have urged transparency from NHS services involved in her care. As the family navigates this difficult period, relatives have described their grief as intensifying while questions about medical decisions and hospital procedures remain unanswered, underscoring the broader concern about delays in post-mortem processes in complex, high-profile cases.