Woman carried corpse in car for months
By DPA, IANSFriday, October 22, 2010
LOS ANGELES - A former real estate agent drove around for months with the dead mummified body of a homeless woman in her vehicle, the Orange County Register reported Friday.
Police said the driver had let the woman sleep in her car and had been frightened to come to police when the woman died in her vehicle.
Coroners believe that the woman died in the car between three and 10 months ago. The driver covered the body with a pile of clothes and used baking soda to mask the stench. The lack of air inside the vehicle, and weather conditions at the time of death, are believed to have contributed to partial preservation of the body.
Police discovered the body after the car was left blocking a driveway. An autopsy revealed no signs of foul play, but police have still not identified the woman.
It’s unclear whether the driver will be charged in connection with the case - but officers are looking into whether there were health code violations in transporting a corpse.
