Daughter kept mother's body in her bath for up to a year

Both bodies lay undiscovered for between six months and a year by which time the remains of Pauline Jessett, 78, had mummified



A reclusive mother and daughter lay dead in their ramshackle home for at least six months before their bodies were found, an inquest has heard.

Caroline Jessett, 50, placed her mum’s body in the bathtub of their home before she died in her bedroom some time later.

Pauline Jessett, 78, was last seen by a district nurse nearly two years before her remains were discovered, while daughter Caroline’s mummified corpse was in her bedroom for six months to a year.

It is believed mentally-vulnerable Caroline laid her mum in the bath and covered her with sheets because she did not know what else to do.

Oxfordshire Coroner Darren Salter told an inquest into their deaths: “This is certainly a sad case and an unusual case.

“There is certainly some delay between the time when Caroline and Pauline Jessett died to when their bodies were discovered.”

Neighbours had not seen Pauline for 30 years when her body was found.

Her daughter would visit the supermarket early in the mornings before disappearing inside the house, local people said.

The bodies were only discovered in November 2013 after cops were called by environmental health staff concerned at the state of the decrepit house in Littlemore, Oxon.

When they forced the door, officers found a pile of untouched mail and noticed the structure of the building was unsafe.

They found Caroline’s “mummified” body on the floor of her bedroom, where a fan was still circulating air and the light was switched on.

PC Ian Winter told the inquest: “I would describe the body as being mummified and dry.”

She had to be identified by forensic tests.

Officers were forced to leave the house before finding Pauline due to the poor state of the house and in the following days carried out nationwide checks for her whereabouts.

Pauline’s body was not discovered for another week, as engineers had to shore up the dangerous building for search teams to work in.

The widow, whose husband Thomas died in 1985, was identified by the serial number on her artificial hip.

Pathologists were unable to determine the cause of death for either woman because of the advanced decomposition.

A second post mortem examination on Caroline’s remains revealed malignant growths in her brain.

Their GP, Dr Marion Anscombe, confirmed she had visited the home on rare occasions over the years.

In a statement to the coroner she said on March 6, 2012, she noted the poor state of the house and she was concerned about Caroline caring for Pauline. Eight days later a district nurse visited the pair.

That was the last confirmed sighting of Pauline alive.

In November that same year, when a district nurse arrived to give Pauline a flu injection, Caroline would not let them into the house.

Acting Detective Sergeant Mark Stalder said the telephone at the house had not been used since February 2012.

He described the pair as “very reclusive”, adding: “We spoke to Pauline’s sister. The last time she went to the address was six years beforehand and she wasn’t allowed into the property and was made to speak to them on the doorstep.”

Mr Salter concluded the inquest, in Oxford, saying: “It seems Pauline Jessett died some time after March 2012, when she was last seen.

“It seems likely that Caroline, who had mental health difficulties and led a reclusive life, had placed her in the bath, now knowing what to do and being incapable of acting normally.”

He recorded that Caroline had died a natural death but in the case of her mother he recorded an open verdict.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/daughter-kept-mothers-body-bath-4052248#ixzz3AUZZT8LI
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How sad, what a horrible thing to happen.   Sounds like they couldn't cope with the outside world, but someone should have kept checking on them, even if they did only talk on the doorstep.

This wouldn't have happened 30 years ago, every step forward 3 steps back it seems   

It's very, very sad.

What a sad story.
Sounds like the daughter couldn't live without her mum   

eddie wrote:What a sad story.
Sounds like the daughter couldn't live without her mum   

It does, must have been awful. When someone dies the paperwork is terrible, could be she didn't know where to start.

Sassy wrote:

eddie wrote:What a sad story.
Sounds like the daughter couldn't live without her mum   

It does, must have been awful.   When someone dies the paperwork is terrible, could be she didn't know where to start.

It's not right. These people were let down.