Authorities in New Orleans have launched an investigation after the mummified remains of a 600-pound man were discovered inside a Lakeview home, where his mother had allegedly been living with the body for at least nine months. The woman, identified as Barbara Hainsworth, was described as a “mentally disabled elderly woman,” according to a report by Nola.com, citing a citation filed with the city’s Healthy Homes Administration.
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The grim discovery was made on Thursday, May 15, when city code enforcement officers entered the residence to inspect reports of unsafe living conditions.
Appalling living conditions
Officials described the home as being “filled with garbage, chickens, roosters, rats,” Nola.com reported. Code enforcement officers and New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) personnel were met with shocking scenes of extreme hoarding and unsanitary conditions.
Public records indicate that neighbours had filed multiple complaints over several months, citing the deteriorating state of the property and an increase in vermin, WDSU reported.
Hainsworth, a former doctor who reportedly lost her medical licence approximately a decade ago, responded calmly when asked about the body inside her home. “That’s my son. He died about nine months ago,” she reportedly told officers.
{{/usCountry}}Hainsworth, a former doctor who reportedly lost her medical licence approximately a decade ago, responded calmly when asked about the body inside her home. “That’s my son. He died about nine months ago,” she reportedly told officers.
{{/usCountry}}The deceased man, whose name has not been publicly released, was said to have suffered from multiple medical conditions, according to Hainsworth. His body was found severely decomposed and mummified.
“A Code Enforcement investigator was immediately dispatched to the property. DCE’s investigation revealed horrific conditions, including the remains of a mummified male body and evidence of extreme hoarding conditions, along with mounds of trash in and around the property,” a city statement read.
The Department of Code Enforcement (DCE) condemned the home as a health hazard, but officials stated that there are currently no plans for demolition. “DCE informed its demolition contractor to be on standby to perform an assessment to clean up and remove the trash and seal the hole in the bathroom floor. The property was also scheduled to be boarded by the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD),” the statement continued.
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Mental health concerns and ongoing case
Just one day before the discovery, on May 6, Hainsworth was fined $6,125 and her property officially declared a public nuisance, according to WDSU.
A mobile crisis unit was dispatched to evaluate her mental health. According to a report by People, she has not been arrested or charged, and the investigation remains ongoing.