New Orleans
Woman Kept Mummified Body in House for Months
… Dead Son Weighed 600 Pounds
Published
A New Orleans woman is under investigation after allegedly living with her 600-pound son’s mummified remains for months in a house now deemed a health hazard.
Barbara Hainsworth — reportedly described by the City of New Orleans as a “mentally disabled elderly woman” — was visited by municipal code enforcement investigators after neighbors made multiple complaints about the condition of the house.
When New Orleans police officers arrived at the house, they found hoarding conditions — and the man’s body. When asked about the dead body, local reports say Hainsworth explained, “That’s my son. He died about nine months ago.”
Hainsworth is said to have told officers her son suffered from multiple medical conditions. His name was not released.
The rest of the Hainsworth house was also a mess … reportedly “filled with garbage, chickens, roosters, rats” when the body was discovered.
The Code Enforcement Department condemned the home as a health hazard … and, a statement from the New Orleans Health Department says the property is scheduled to be boarded up — and a demolition hazard will be on standby if they need to tear down the house.
Hainsworth has not been charged with any crimes … though her mental health condition was ultimately evaluated by investigators.
