GARDENA : Woman Lived With Corpse Up to 3 Months, Police Say

A Gardena woman lived as long as three months with a corpse before neighbors complained of an unpleasant odor coming from the apartment, authorities said Friday.

The corpse, which was in the middle of the living room, had been wrapped in black plastic material, and old newspapers had been placed next to the body, said Gardena Police Lt. John Fodor. Officials have not yet identified the body, but they believe it is the remains of the woman’s 77-year-old mother, who lived in the apartment, he said.

The 47-year-old daughter, whose name has not been released, was taken to County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center for psychological evaluation. Police believe the elderly woman died of natural causes, and no charges have been filed.

Police discovered the corpse Wednesday after neighbors complained of a pungent odor coming from the apartment building in the 1000 block of West 159th Street. Family members apparently had telephoned the 77-year-old woman for months but were told by the daughter that she was not home, he said.