the mummified wife
A milkman named Howard Lewis just left his wife's body to mummify in her bed for 5 months after she died.
Choice quote: "Betty was dead and her body had been slowly mummified over the previous five months."
"He is always very helpful and a popular milkman. It was a terrible shock to discover Mrs Lewis had died. He just went into denial. He obviously couldn't bear to part with her."
Body left in bed for five months
Wednesday, 13 September 2006
A pensioner lived with the remains of his late wife for five months because he could not come to terms with the shock of her death, an inquest heard.
The mummified remains of Howard Lewis' wife Elizabeth, 79, were found in a bed in the house in Pontypridd in November after neighbours called police.
Mr Lewis told officers she was sleeping before he was arrested for concealing a body. He was not prosecuted.
Mr Lewis, who had cared for his wife for the last five years of her life because she had Alzheimer's disease, was said to be unable to come to terms with her death at their home in Graigwen.
The inquest heard how Mr Lewis, who had been married for 34 years, carried on as normal following her death. Mr Lewis went to the local shop to buy a newspaper and seemingly carried on with every day life as his wife's body lay in her bed.
Neighbours became concerned after not seeing Mrs Lewis for some time. They called police, who visited the house on 11 November where they found Mrs Lewis' remains.
Cold house
Pc Danny MacNamara told the inquest as soon as he entered the house he noticed a strong smell which "reminded me of a decomposing body".
He also said the house was extremely cold with "numerous" air fresheners scattered about. The curtains were also drawn.
The officer and a colleague went upstairs towards the bedroom where they saw the figure of a body under the blanket.
"I said to Mr Lewis 'She's dead isn't she?' and he replied 'Yes'," he said.
"I said 'For how long?' and he said 'About five months'".
"He hadn't had any visitors and she wasn't missed at that point until Pc MacNamara called to the house," Det Con Walsh said. "He would go in and touch her face at night to say goodnight to her."
Det Con Walsh said Mr Lewis had no real explanation as to why he hadn't informed the authorities of his wife's death.
"My general feeling is that he didn't want to let his wife go."
Man lived with wife's body for five months
Sep 14 2006
A HEARTBROKEN husband who lived with the body of his dead wife for five months last night spoke of how he had "just blanked things out".
Howard Lewis, a milkman, carried on as normal when his wife Betty died at their home.
An inquest yesterday heard that every night he would speak to her in bed, touch her face and say, "Goodnight".
In the daytime, Mr Lewis, 68, went shopping, chatted with neighbours and even helped out at the local post office.
Last night, he spoke of his relief that the inquest was over, after the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to press charges against him.
When asked why he had not informed the authorities about the death of his wife of 35 years, he said, "I just blanked things out. In a way I was relieved when the police came - it had to come to an end somehow."
He added, "I'm just looking forward to getting on with my life now."
The couple, who had no children, were described as "devoted" by neighbours, who simply thought they never saw Betty, 79, because she was unwell.
And when police called at the couple's home, Mr Lewis told them, "My wife is asleep and I don't want to wake her up."
But when officers went into the bedroom they saw a figure covered in blankets with a pale face and grey hair.
Pc Danny MacNamara told the inquest in Pontypridd that as soon as he entered the house he could "immediately smell something strong".
He soon realised Betty was dead and her body had been slowly mummified over the previous five months.
Her corpse had to be rehydrated before a postmortem examination was carried out by a Home Office pathologist.
And neighbours told how retired Mr Lewis was a "Good Samaritan" who has been campaigning for traffic-calming measures in the area.
Glyn Hooper, 79, said, "Howard is very well thought of and respected around here.
"He is always very helpful, particularly to pensioners, and a popular milkman. It was a terrible shock to discover Mrs Lewis had died. He just went into denial. He obviously couldn't bear to part with her."
After an inquest, Mr Lewis added, "I'm glad it's over now - it was terrible. Everybody around here has been good to me. The neighbours have been very understanding."
Choice quote: "Betty was dead and her body had been slowly mummified over the previous five months."
"He is always very helpful and a popular milkman. It was a terrible shock to discover Mrs Lewis had died. He just went into denial. He obviously couldn't bear to part with her."
Body left in bed for five months
Wednesday, 13 September 2006
A pensioner lived with the remains of his late wife for five months because he could not come to terms with the shock of her death, an inquest heard.
The mummified remains of Howard Lewis' wife Elizabeth, 79, were found in a bed in the house in Pontypridd in November after neighbours called police.
Mr Lewis told officers she was sleeping before he was arrested for concealing a body. He was not prosecuted.
Mr Lewis, who had cared for his wife for the last five years of her life because she had Alzheimer's disease, was said to be unable to come to terms with her death at their home in Graigwen.
The inquest heard how Mr Lewis, who had been married for 34 years, carried on as normal following her death. Mr Lewis went to the local shop to buy a newspaper and seemingly carried on with every day life as his wife's body lay in her bed.
Neighbours became concerned after not seeing Mrs Lewis for some time. They called police, who visited the house on 11 November where they found Mrs Lewis' remains.
Cold house
Pc Danny MacNamara told the inquest as soon as he entered the house he noticed a strong smell which "reminded me of a decomposing body".
He also said the house was extremely cold with "numerous" air fresheners scattered about. The curtains were also drawn.
The officer and a colleague went upstairs towards the bedroom where they saw the figure of a body under the blanket.
"I said to Mr Lewis 'She's dead isn't she?' and he replied 'Yes'," he said.
"I said 'For how long?' and he said 'About five months'".
"He hadn't had any visitors and she wasn't missed at that point until Pc MacNamara called to the house," Det Con Walsh said. "He would go in and touch her face at night to say goodnight to her."
Det Con Walsh said Mr Lewis had no real explanation as to why he hadn't informed the authorities of his wife's death.
"My general feeling is that he didn't want to let his wife go."
Man lived with wife's body for five months
Sep 14 2006
A HEARTBROKEN husband who lived with the body of his dead wife for five months last night spoke of how he had "just blanked things out".
Howard Lewis, a milkman, carried on as normal when his wife Betty died at their home.
An inquest yesterday heard that every night he would speak to her in bed, touch her face and say, "Goodnight".
In the daytime, Mr Lewis, 68, went shopping, chatted with neighbours and even helped out at the local post office.
Last night, he spoke of his relief that the inquest was over, after the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to press charges against him.
When asked why he had not informed the authorities about the death of his wife of 35 years, he said, "I just blanked things out. In a way I was relieved when the police came - it had to come to an end somehow."
He added, "I'm just looking forward to getting on with my life now."
The couple, who had no children, were described as "devoted" by neighbours, who simply thought they never saw Betty, 79, because she was unwell.
And when police called at the couple's home, Mr Lewis told them, "My wife is asleep and I don't want to wake her up."
But when officers went into the bedroom they saw a figure covered in blankets with a pale face and grey hair.
Pc Danny MacNamara told the inquest in Pontypridd that as soon as he entered the house he could "immediately smell something strong".
He soon realised Betty was dead and her body had been slowly mummified over the previous five months.
Her corpse had to be rehydrated before a postmortem examination was carried out by a Home Office pathologist.
And neighbours told how retired Mr Lewis was a "Good Samaritan" who has been campaigning for traffic-calming measures in the area.
Glyn Hooper, 79, said, "Howard is very well thought of and respected around here.
"He is always very helpful, particularly to pensioners, and a popular milkman. It was a terrible shock to discover Mrs Lewis had died. He just went into denial. He obviously couldn't bear to part with her."
After an inquest, Mr Lewis added, "I'm glad it's over now - it was terrible. Everybody around here has been good to me. The neighbours have been very understanding."