Body Of Elderly Woman Found Two Years After Death, Still Seated At Table

Police officers in Italy stumbled upon the decayed remains of an elderly woman while responding to a call about neglected garden. Investigators believe the woman, who was found seated at a table in her house, passed away two years ago.

The body of 70-year-old Marinella Beretta was found at her home in Prestino near Lake Como, according to Euronews. After Lombardy experienced high winds, cops were in the area responding to a call about neglected trees in Beretta's garden that faced the risk of being uprooted. They arrived at the house to find the elderly woman's remains.

Local reports revealed that the Beretta had no living relatives. Neighbors also reportedly had not seen or heard from her for at least two and a half years before her remains were discovered; they assumed she had moved away from the area due to the onset of the pandemic.

Some publications, such as The Guardian, revealed that Beretta’s remains were found at the table in a mummified state. The macabre discovery has sparked debates about loneliness and neglect of the elderly in Italy, highlighting the need for better care.

Family minister Elena Bonetti acknowledged the incident on social media and spoke about taking care of one another. “What happened to Mrs. Marinella Beretta in Como, the forgotten loneliness, hurts consciences,” read the translation of Bonetti’s post on Facebook.

“Remembering their life is the duty of a community that wants to stick together. We need to not limit our horizons to the private and go back to healing the ties between ourselves. Taking care of each other is the experience of families, institutions, and our citizens: no one has to be left alone,” Bonetti continued.

Journalist Massimo Gramellini wrote on the front page of Italy’s biggest-selling daily — the Corriere della Sera — that Beretta’s death was “loneliness personified.”

“Many of us still have memories of the chaotic, branched families of peasant Italy. Instead, the modern family is reduced … People die alone. And we live alone, which is almost worse,” The Guardian quoted Gramellini’s words.

Cops found no evidence at the scene that suggested foul play or suspicious activity in connection with Beretta's death. Costs of her burial are expected to be handled by the Prestino municipality.