Police: Connecticut Hoarder Killed By Floor Collapse May Have Been Dead For At Least A Week

A 66-year-old woman described by police as an apparent hoarder was found dead in her basement under a pile of debris after the first floor of her Connecticut home collapsed into the basement under the weight of piles of clutter, authorities said.

Police identified the deceased Cheshire woman as Beverly Mitchell. Her body was found in her home Saturday, two days after a postal carrier called police to request a welfare check because her mail had been piling up for at least a week.

Police told Yahoo News that they were unable to locate Mitchell in the home, but concluded that the house was structurally unsound and returned to continue their search on Friday before locating the woman’s body on Saturday, said Patrol Sergeant Kevin O’Donnell of the Cheshire police.

“It appears, at least, that the floor gave way,” O’Donnell said. “All the items that she had collected for many years covered her as the floor sank down into the basement.

Police indicated that they were aware of Mitchell’s living conditions and had sent social services teams to try to help change her hoarding lifestyle, but Mitchell rebuffed.

“It’s unfortunate because… we’ve tried all along to get her assistance, but she was a very private and solitary lady,” O’Donnell said Sunday.

The Daily News reported that the death appears to have been accidental, with no signs of criminal activity. However, police also believe that Mitchell may have been dead for about a week before they were alerted.

There was no particular pattern to the items the woman had retained, said O’Donnell, who was among the officers to respond to the scene.

“It’s just junk,” he said. “She just never threw anything away. Mail, packages, bottles lots of papers, newspapers, magazines, you name it. Piled to the ceiling in most rooms. There was a waist-high layer in the room she had been living in.”

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