Shocking Discovery in Downtown Brooklyn
Police officers made a horrifying discovery in Downtown Brooklyn on Wednesday when they found an elderly woman and her middle-aged son both dead and mummified inside their apartment. The grim finding came after building residents had been complaining about a troubling smell emanating from the unit for several days.
According to NYPD officials, the wellness check was conducted just before 1 p.m. at the building located on the corner of Jay Street and Tillary Street. Officers entered the apartment to check on the welfare of the residents after numerous odor complaints from neighbors.
The Gruesome Scene Inside the Apartment
What they discovered was beyond disturbing. The 80-year-old woman and her 52-year-old son were both found unresponsive and lying face-up in the apartment. Most shockingly, their bodies had undergone mummification, according to police sources familiar with the investigation.
Emergency Medical Services personnel pronounced both individuals dead at the scene. The bodies remained in the apartment for several hours before being removed from the premises by 7:35 p.m., as confirmed by The Post.
The stench coming from the apartment was so overpowering that one police officer described it in vivid terms. "That's actually nasty. I can smell it as soon as I walk out of the elevator. Almost taste it," the officer told reporters while exiting the building.
Neighbors and Building Staff React
The building's doorman, who asked to remain anonymous, provided crucial information about the relationship between the deceased pair. He revealed that the son lived nearby but not in the same apartment as his mother. "The son always used to come here to take care of his mother," the doorman shared. "I haven't seen him for maybe two or three weeks."
A neighbor living directly across the hall from where the bodies were found confirmed that the smell of decomposition had been noticeable "for days." The neighbor, who also requested anonymity, recalled how building maintenance staff attempted to mask the odor. "It would come in waves, and the maintenance would spray like an air freshener," the neighbor said. "I just thought it was coming from the trash outside, but it got worse."
Authorities have confirmed that there was no apparent trauma to the bodies, and no criminal activity is currently suspected in their deaths. The city medical examiner will conduct autopsies to determine the exact cause of death for both individuals.
The investigation continues as authorities work to notify other family members and piece together the timeline of events leading to this tragic discovery.
