Officers from the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Local Police intervened in a macabre find inside a residence on Thursday night.
According to scant information that has been disclosed, a man allegedly hid his mother’s body in the house where they lived for weeks or even months.
The incident took place in the neighbourhood of El Tablero, in the Southwest District of the Tenerife capital.
Reportedly, the said individual periodically sprinkled lime on his deceased parent’s body to try to mask the odour resulting from decomposition.
However, as it has emerged, some neighbours in the area noticed a stench emanating from the residence and decided to alert the Local Police.
The deceased person’s son informed municipal officers that the death occurred approximately six months ago.
National Police. / LP/DLP
Due to the nature of the incident, Homicide Group officers from the National Police have taken over the investigation.
Professionals from the Provincial Judicial Police Brigade will seek to determine the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death or how long the man lived with the corpse.
The alert was raised at 9:42 p.m. on Thursday. A person notified the Local Police expressing suspicions about strange activities at their neighbours’ house, as a strong putrefaction odour was coming from the house where a woman, around 90 years old, and her son lived.
When questioned about his mother, the man claimed that she was unwell and bedridden.
Municipal officers headed to number 42 Carretera de El Tablero. After knocking on the residence’s door, the now arrested man opened it. He appeared calm and when asked about his mother, he replied that she was “fine, sleeping.”
The officers requested him to wake her up. They also noticed garbage accumulation in the house, as if the man was suffering from Diogenes syndrome. Furthermore, they confirmed a strong decomposition odour.
Covered with bags
Upon entering the room, municipal officers observed that the elderly woman was deceased and covered with bags.
At that moment, the now accused voluntarily stated that his mother had passed away about five months ago and he decided to conceal her body, without clearly stating the reason behind his actions.
In light of these circumstances, local police officers detained the El Tablero resident until clarifying what had occurred in the property over the past few months.
He was initially taken to a health centre and then to the Psychiatry Unit of Our Lady of La Candelaria University Hospital.
However, he was not admitted to that department. Instead, he was brought back to his home on Subida de El Tablero, where the investigation continued by the National Police’s Homicide Group.
The forensic doctor did not confirm the nonagenarian’s natural death, so an autopsy will be performed today at the Legal Medicine Institute in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
