IN a shocking turn of events, professional cleaners working in Kyoto, Japan, uncovered the remains of a woman previously reported missing.
A cleaning team was hired by a man to clear his “garbage house” which in Japan refers to extremely filthy homes that produce a foul odour and can attract pests, often requiring professional cleaning services to address the mess.
According to South China Morning Post, the cleaning team stumbled upon what they initially thought were model bones, but soon realised they were human remains. The skeleton was confirmed to be that of the man’s mother, who had disappeared a decade ago.
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The man, who had lived with his parents and older sister in the house was left alone after his mother vanished. His father also passed away and his sister had moved out for work.
While preparing to move for a new job, the man employed a cleaning service to tackle the chaotic home.
The cleaners alerted the homeowner after discovering the remains, who then contacted the police. The remains were confirmed to be those of his mother.
The man speculated that his mother might have quietly died in her room, as she frequently left home for days without informing anyone and seldom communicated with others.
“It’s possible that my mother came back after a few days away and no one in the family noticed,” he said.
The house was so cluttered and foul-smelling that it could have masked the smell of the decomposing body.
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Kouki Nishioka, owner of the cleaning company, noted, “Initially, the workers were shocked upon discovering the bones, but they managed to adapt more quickly than normal people. This is because we receive at least 10 orders a month to clean up after ‘lonely deaths.’”
The incident has sparked widespread astonishment on China’s social media, with many expressing disbelief at how a decomposing body could go unnoticed.
One user remarked, “I remember people who push for marriage and having children often say if you don’t get married and have kids, no one will know if you die alone in your room. Well, this woman was married and had two kids, yet look what happened.”
Another commented, “How can someone live in a house so filthy and smelly that they don’t even notice the smell of a decomposing body? Every time I read news like this, I’m stunned.”
