Man found dead in apartment after 7 years

[Vako]

Berlin (Reuters);

The decomposed corpse of a German man was found alone in his bed after nearly seven years, police in the western city of Essen said on Thursday.

The police said in a statement the man was 59 and unemployed at the time of his death. He most likely died of natural causes on Nov. 30, 2000, the date he received a letter from the Welfare Office found in the apartment, police said.

Next to the dead man's bed police found cigarettes, an open television guide and Deutschemark coins, which came out of circulation after the euro was introduced in 2002.

The man's apartment was in a building with offices and apartments, many of which are now empty.

"No one missed him. No missing person report was ever filed," the police said.

[HumanePain]

Originally Posted by Vako

Berlin (Reuters);

But didn't his landlord miss getting his rent payments?
O_o
I would think he would have been discovered when they evicted him.

[Vako]

I was wondering that myself.

I forgot to post the link to the story.

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddly...71991520070511

[Underwater Ophelia]

It's sad that no one was there to miss him.

That makes me really sad.

[ugh...]

Originally Posted by Underwater Ophelia

It's sad that no one was there to miss him.

That makes me really sad.

I agree. I would hate it if I died alone and no one noticed or cared.

I wish they posted more information, like who he was, and if he had family... but the fact that no one realized he was missing means he was probably estranged from them, at the least.

[Vako]

I felt sad that he died alone and no one missed him, also. That is one of my worst fears, which is probably why the story caught my attention.

[killer_asian_Dax]

Do I even want to know how something like this went overlooked?

It is a mite sad though. He is (has been) in a better place now.

[Lapin]

He might have had a rent-controlled thingie or something. Maybe the rent apartments differently in Germany?

(shrugs)

That is definitely interesting though.

[Dancing_in_rain]

Shame to not be missed. I wonder though...was he 59 when he was found or at the time of death?

Nevermind, jsut found that it was at the time of death.
Anyhow, wouldn't there be a bit of a smell? A rotting fish or piece of meat smells awful...a rotting human presumably would as well.

[Waki]

Its weird that no one even noticed the smell. He must have stayed in some deserted place. No one remembered him, sad thing. Didn't he have friends or family.

[Caught]

It's been on the news here, he didn't have contact with his family for a long long time (not counting being dead for 7 years then) and he was a loner. Also the building he stayed in was used by few people, some only came once every 2 years some neighbours said so it's possible.

[Seraphynth]

That's entirely strange.
No one noticed the lack of rent over 7 years. No one noticed the smell.
No one missed him.
It's sad. :[

[Caught]

He actually became some sort of mummy, I wouldn't know if the smell might be less then.. and who said the apartment was rented? he could've just owned it, ok he must pay the bills still but if he didn't then they simply shut down electricity and water I supose.

[Breathless Horror]

Generally, the dessication process required for mummification does reduce the stench of a dead body by quite a bit. I remember reading somewhere that the egyptian mummies smelled of dust and a little cinnamon (sp?) and nothing more.

[Caught]

Problem solved then =) it was perfectly possible for the man to be dead then for 7 years, it's said he wasn't missed ofcourse but I'm sure there are more people in this world who wouldn't be missed when dead, found after 7 years or not, it's still sad.

[Underwater Ophelia]

Well, not really.
The Egyptians would actually mummify the body on purpose, drying it out and such, and using spices and things.
A body that naturally mummified would go down in a different way.

[Delicate_Torture]

There was a series of deaths like this in Australia that were discovered about a year ago. They were all older people who lived in government assisted housing, and the rent checks were paid straight out of their pension.

It started with one person being discovered after a few months because of the smell, and then upon seeing that on the news a few other people realised that they hadn't seen 'the old man/lady' who they shared an apartment block with for a while. Two others were discovered by the police after their neighbours reported their absences.

This prompted the Dept of Aged Care to do an audit and contact everyone who lived in Govt. assisted housing... and a few more bodies were found.

It all happened over a period of about three or four weeks and really highlighted to me the importance of keeping an eye out for my neighbours. We have two apartments in our block with two little old ladies living in them, so I went and introduced myself and explained that I was a nurse and if they ever felt that they needed help to just come and bang on my door. They were really surprised (-we strange dark types aren't meant to be nice like that... heh,) and very thankful.

[DeathChii]

That's so sad... he died alone and nobody new... nobody cared...

[Seraphynth]

Originally Posted by Delicate_Torture

There was a series of deaths like this in Australia that were discovered about a year ago. They were all older people who lived in government assisted housing, and the rent checks were paid straight out of their pension.

It started with one person being discovered after a few months because of the smell, and then upon seeing that on the news a few other people realised that they hadn't seen 'the old man/lady' who they shared an apartment block with for a while. Two others were discovered by the police after their neighbours reported their absences.

This prompted the Dept of Aged Care to do an audit and contact everyone who lived in Govt. assisted housing... and a few more bodies were found.

It all happened over a period of about three or four weeks and really highlighted to me the importance of keeping an eye out for my neighbours. We have two apartments in our block with two little old ladies living in them, so I went and introduced myself and explained that I was a nurse and if they ever felt that they needed help to just come and bang on my door. They were really surprised (-we strange dark types aren't meant to be nice like that... heh,) and very thankful.

That's scary. D:
What you did was sweet though. :]

[HumanePain]

Originally Posted by Delicate_Torture

There was a series of deaths like this in Australia that were discovered about a year ago. They were all older people who lived in government assisted housing, and the rent checks were paid straight out of their pension.

It started with one person being discovered after a few months because of the smell, and then upon seeing that on the news a few other people realised that they hadn't seen 'the old man/lady' who they shared an apartment block with for a while. Two others were discovered by the police after their neighbours reported their absences.

This prompted the Dept of Aged Care to do an audit and contact everyone who lived in Govt. assisted housing... and a few more bodies were found.

It all happened over a period of about three or four weeks and really highlighted to me the importance of keeping an eye out for my neighbours. We have two apartments in our block with two little old ladies living in them, so I went and introduced myself and explained that I was a nurse and if they ever felt that they needed help to just come and bang on my door. They were really surprised (-we strange dark types aren't meant to be nice like that... heh,) and very thankful.

You are very sweet and noble DT.
The world needs more DT's.

[Drake Dun]

Originally Posted by Delicate_Torture

We have two apartments in our block with two little old ladies living in them, so I went and introduced myself and explained that I was a nurse and if they ever felt that they needed help to just come and bang on my door.

So shines a kind deed in a weary world.

Drake

[Breathless Horror]

Originally Posted by Delicate_Torture

We have two apartments in our block with two little old ladies living in them, so I went and introduced myself and explained that I was a nurse and if they ever felt that they needed help to just come and bang on my door. They were really surprised (-we strange dark types aren't meant to be nice like that... heh,) and very thankful.

You have restored some of my hope that the human race isn't doomed after all. Were there more people like you, the world would be a much nicer place. May we all learn from your shining example to become better people.

[Delicate_Torture]

No, no.. I'm not sweet and noble. I'm mean and nasty and just a little bit crazy.

Grrrrrr.

See?

(Actually, thankyou for all of your kind words... but I was only doing what I think should be natural human nature and looking after the frail of the clan, it's just that society doesn't really know what natural human nature is anymore. And your signature sums it up perfectly, HP. "There is only one way in which one can endure man's inhumanity to man and that is to try, in one's own life, to exemplify man's humanity to man." -Alan Paton)

[Vako]

Originally Posted by Delicate_Torture

It all happened over a period of about three or four weeks and really highlighted to me the importance of keeping an eye out for my neighbours. We have two apartments in our block with two little old ladies living in them, so I went and introduced myself and explained that I was a nurse and if they ever felt that they needed help to just come and bang on my door. They were really surprised (-we strange dark types aren't meant to be nice like that... heh,) and very thankful.

Very kind of you. I would do the same here in my neighborhood if it were not for the fact that I am surrounded by ignorant bigots who wouldn't trust me to mow their lawns.

[Underwater Ophelia]

Originally Posted by Vako

Very kind of you. I would do the same here in my neighborhood if it were not for the fact that I am surrounded by ignorant bigots who wouldn't trust me to mow their lawns.

I wouldn't either! You'd probably load it up with fire ants.