Mummified Body Found In Front of Blaring TV

eefanincan · Admin Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Location: Canada

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Police called to a Long Island man's house discovered the mummified remains of the resident, dead for more than a year, sitting in front of a blaring television set.

The 70-year-old Hampton Bays, New York, resident, identified as Vincenzo Ricardo, appeared to have died of natural causes. Police said on Saturday his body was discovered on Thursday when they went to the house to investigate a report of a burst water pipe.

"You could see his face. He still had hair on his head," Newsday quoted morgue assistant Jeff Bacchus as saying. The home's low humidity had preserved the body. (Watch for views inside the house and why no one ever bothered to check on him )

Officials could not explain why the electricity had not been turned off, considering Ricardo had not been heard from since December 2005.

Neighbors said when they had not seen Ricardo, who was diabetic and had been blind for years, they assumed he was in the hospital or a long-term care facility.
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What a sad thought that someone could go an entire year without somebody checking in on them.

IRiSHMaFIA · Admin Joined: 29 Apr 2006

That's the first thing that came to my mind as well eefan when reading the story. It's such a shame nobody thought to check on him and he wasn't missed by anyone.

6ULDV8 · Joined: 30 Apr 2006 Location: USA

There was a guy in Washington DC who died in his bath...

8 Years... (yes eight) before his body was found.

He was a well known old guy in a semi decent neighbourhood, all the people just concluded he'd either been taken into assisted living (a home) or was just OK...

His house had a few lights on timers, his electricity was paid for by a 'standing order' from his bank account.

The only thing that made anybody go around was 8 years of back dated property taxes, they saw he owed 8 years, visited twice, asked neighbors & eventualy put 2 & 2 together.

cori · Joined: 30 Apr 2006

You know when I read this I thought how could no one have checked in on this gent? I know I call my mum and aunt regularly as they are elderly and none of us live near them. I think it's sad, doesn't mean you have to be a nosey neighbor, but maybe someone who's aware of what's going on around them?

girldorksrule · Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 7:38 pm Post subject:

One of my biggest fears is dying alone like that and no one noticing. It is really sad and it says a lot about society as well.

janbo1960 · Joined: 29 Apr 2006

Talk about Couch potato!!!

6ULDV8 · Joined: 30 Apr 2006 Location: USA

eefanincan · Admin Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Location: Canada

6ULDV8 · Joined: 30 Apr 2006 Location: USA

Marcella-FL · Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 3:43 pm Post subject:

I think you hit it on the head with the "frosty" description. I have had quite a few elderly neighbors who fit that description. You get afraid to approach them!

My mother is 76 and lives in an apartment complex with all 55+. Many of her neighbors are so paranoid that someone is going to break in and steal their stuff and kill them they growl at anyone who tries to befriend them! Sadly, they aren't too far off the mark. How many stories of elderly people murdered end up with someone who befriended them?

I would think the postal worker would have noticed something was up when the mail was piling up in the box (unless they had a mail slot)