FL - Gladys Andrews, 87, found dead in Fort Myers home, April 2009

[LadyL]

did she think she could live there another 30-odd years with dead bodies all around her?

wtf?

why didn't she use those latex gloves to clean some crap up

 

[Vegas Bride]

The neighbors said there was a funky smell in the neighborhood... why wasn't code enforcement called? Decomp is a very very very very distinct smell... I don't know how she could live with it, let alone how the neighbors could. It would stick to her everytime she left the house!

I'm thinking she didn't leave the house, it says neighbors would buy her groceries and drop them off, maybe at the front door?
It's been reported also that there had been many complaints to the city about things, so why was nothing ever done?

I'm not an expert on how something like this happens, but it does happen. I doubt years ago when the woman was going to school, becoming a teacher etc that she ever saw this as her future, she needed help years ago but for whatever reason never reached out for it. Her mother also did not reach out for help and she ended up dying in a horrible way because of it.

VB

 

[PickieChickie]

I'm thinking she didn't leave the house, it says neighbors would buy her groceries and drop them off, maybe at the front door?
It's been reported also that there had been many complaints to the city about things, so why was nothing ever done?

I'm not an expert on how something like this happens, but it does happen. I doubt years ago when the woman was going to school, becoming a teacher etc that she ever saw this as her future, she needed help years ago but for whatever reason never reached out for it. Her mother also did not reach out for help and she ended up dying in a horrible way because of it.

VB

I suffered from a very severe hoarding disorder and I can see how this would happen. The house was so bad that the two women were overwhelmed and had given up on trying to maintain the household.

Because they were so embarrassed about the condition of their house, they didn't want to go outside for any reason at all and would not allow anyone to come in their home.

When the cats died, the thought of going outside to bury them was just overwhelming. They were paranoid about people watching them and worried burying the cats would cause suspicion.

I don't think they had garbage service either as going outside to empty the garbage would be impossible due to their social anxiety disorders.

As far as the odors are concerned, although unpleasant, you get used to them.

Thankfully, I don't hoard anymore. It took 16 full size truckbed loads with sideboards to get rid of the unwanted things I had hoarded. Even though a lot of it was really good stuff, I took the bull by the horns, removed my front window totally, backed the truck up to it and started throwing stuff out the window until the truck was full then would repeat.

It was a nightmare to go through but I sure felt better when all the stuff was gone.

There are a few things I miss but nothing I can't live without.