Melbourne: Woman Sleeps Next To Brother’s Rotting Corpse For 5 Years

A shocking discovery was made in an affluent suburb of Geelong, southwest of Melbourne, where a woman in her 70s was found living with her brother's rotting corpse for up to five years. The woman resided in a public housing unit on Russell Street in Newtown, a neighbourhood known for its high property values with a median house price of $1.1 million.

The disturbing revelation came to light when police arrested the woman on December 29, 2022, for an unrelated matter. Forensic officers, clad in biohazard suits, had to navigate through heaps of rubbish, rats, deceased possums, and human waste to reach the remains, which had turned into a skeletons.

House Of Horrors

Neighbours expressed shock and disbelief at the grisly discovery. Nicole Stratton, a neighbour, recounted her horror to the Geelong Advertiser, questioning how such a situation could have gone unnoticed for so long. Despite residents' complaints to various government departments over the years, no action was taken.

The residence, located a short distance from the Geelong Football Club's stadium and bustling Pakington Street, was a scene of neglect and squalor. The deceased man had last been seen alive by neighbours in 2018.

The woman, a tenant of the Department of Families, Fairness, and Housing (DFFH), was the subject of scrutiny as questions arose about how the body remained undiscovered for an extended period. The accumulation of filth likely masked the smell of decomposition, with residents attributing the odour to piles of rubbish.

The incident left a lasting impact on the community, with Stratton's eldest daughter still traumatised by the ordeal, refusing to go outside at night. Following the discovery, the local housing office implemented a new system to address welfare concerns promptly.

Victoria Police conducted a welfare check on the property, leading to the grim discovery of the deceased man. The DFFH acknowledged that several welfare checks had been conducted due to mounting concerns about the property's condition and lack of contact with the occupants.

While the woman was released without charge regarding her brother's death, the coroner continues to investigate the cause. The property has remained vacant for over a year and is slated for upgrades later this year.