The body of a Portuguese elderly woman was found in the kitchen of her apartment in a village 25 km from Lisbon, almost 9 years after her disappearance was reported. The discovery occurred on Tuesday (02/08/2011), the day she was to be evicted for not paying her mortgage installments.
"It was a shame for the country. If the Treasury (the body responsible for the eviction) hadn't wanted their money, [the body would still be there]," says Aida Martins, 82. It was she who, in August 2002, alerted local authorities about the disappearance of her neighbor, Augusta Martinho, who would have turned 96 this Saturday (12).
Her pension was cut in 2003. Aida sent back the receipts that piled up in Augusta's mailbox. The electricity was also cut off.
"When I went to work, I looked at her window, which always had the light on. Until one day the light went out," says retired Fernanda Borges, 55, also a resident of the building.
After locating a relative through the phone book, as advised, Aida states she returned to the GNR (Guarda Nacional Republicana, the body to which she had reported the disappearance) to open an inquiry. "They found a photo of when she was a teacher in another city and asked me if I recognized her. I said yes," says Aida, who was advised to wait. The requests for a forced entry were not fruitful, the elderly woman says. "I said, the condominium will pay for the lock."
"I said, the condominium will pay for the lock."
The apartment is the 4th at number 16, Praceta das Amoreiras. It was sold at public auction, without visits from government officials or buyers. The latter, according to neighbor Fernanda, might have looked at the apartment below, which is similar. "The price was good, even if renovations were needed inside (it was worth it)," she says.
On Tuesday, the new owners, a Treasury official and a locksmith arrived to take possession. The entrance door had already been opened, but Augusta's body prevented entry into the kitchen. The firefighters were called.
"There was also the body of a dog and some birds, who must have kept her company," says Luís Pimentel, commander of the Agualva-Cacém Firefighters, who attended the incident. In 43 years of service, he says, this was the first time he had encountered such a case.
"She was very fond of animals. I sometimes scolded her because she fed the cats on the street and attracted rats," says Júlio Luís, 60, owner of a small cafe near the victim's building. "She was not very sociable. She only came out to take out the trash."
Despite being one of the building's first residents, Augusta was reserved, according to neighbors. "It was just 'good morning, good evening' on the stairs," says retired Laurinda Cardoso, 77, who lives on the floor below Aida's. "She only rang the bell to pay the condominium fees," says Fernanda Borges, from the 1st floor. Her husband had died a few years earlier.
"She had no family, was not registered with any senior association. We knew she lived there, but we didn't keep in touch," says Felipe Santos, from the Junta de Freguesia (similar to a sub-prefecture in Brazil) of Rio do Mouro. "No one can explain how this happened. But it happened."
The mailbox full of papers suggested something was wrong with Augusta, according to Aida. "At night I thought, 'Did she fall into the sea?'" says the neighbor, as the woman sometimes traveled to the coast. "Either she was dead or disappeared. She lost her mind, you know?" comments Laurinda.
"At night I thought, 'Did she fall into the sea?'"
The suspicion that the elderly woman might still be in the apartment stemmed from the permanently lit light and open windows. "There was a cockroach infestation, and I said it was coming from there," says Júlio Luís, from the cafe, whose son lived in the building.
"If I lived with the corpse for 8 years, now it won't make any difference" - Fernanda Borges, neighborAccording to residents, no smell was noticed during these years. Therefore, some assumed she was in the bedroom with the door closed. "The other day I even commented: 'Is the woman in there?'" says Laurinda.
The neighbors interviewed by G1 state that the discovery did not prompt them to move. "Her poor soul is long gone now," says Laurinda. "If I lived with the corpse for 8 years, now it won't make any difference," says Fernanda.
"I even cried when I saw her body being taken out. It's very sad to see years go by while a person was there, dead," says Aida.
The victim's body was taken to the Institute of Forensic Medicine. There is no forecast yet for the burial.
Other Side
The GNR's Public Relations department informed G1 that they do not yet have information to confirm that the disappearance was reported, but that the documents presented by Aida to the reporter are presumably true. Files older than 5 years are archived, which is why the one possibly related to the case has not yet been found, they reported.
The Ministry of Finance states that it acted within the law and could not provide further information. The police say that the area where the apartment is located was not under their responsibility at the time.
The Sintra Court, which was also allegedly notified of the disappearance, stated that the matter falls under the competence of the Public Prosecutor's Office. The Public Prosecutor's Office was contacted by the report, but did not respond to calls. (Vitor Sorano from Portugal; special for G1:
Source: http://eptv.globo.com/caminhosdaroca/NOT,0,0,335540,
Ordem+de+despejo+ncontra+idosa+morta+ha+9+anos+em+apartamento.aspx
The body of a Portuguese elderly woman was found in the kitchen of her apartment in a village 25 km from Lisbon, almost 9 years after her disappearance was reported. The discovery occurred on Tuesday (02/08/2011), the day she was to be evicted for not paying her mortgage installments.
"It was a shame for the country. If the Treasury (the body responsible for the eviction) hadn't wanted their money, [the body would still be there]," says Aida Martins, 82. It was she who, in August 2002, alerted local authorities about the disappearance of her neighbor, Augusta Martinho, who would have turned 96 this Saturday (12).
Her pension was cut in 2003. Aida sent back the receipts that piled up in Augusta's mailbox. The electricity was also cut off.
"When I went to work, I looked at her window, which always had the light on. Until one day the light went out," says retired Fernanda Borges, 55, also a resident of the building.
After locating a relative through the phone book, as advised, Aida states she returned to the GNR (Guarda Nacional Republicana, the body to which she had reported the disappearance) to open an inquiry. "They found a photo of when she was a teacher in another city and asked me if I recognized her. I said yes," says Aida, who was advised to wait. The requests for a forced entry were not fruitful, the elderly woman says. "I said, the condominium will pay for the lock."
"I said, the condominium will pay for the lock."
The apartment is the 4th at number 16, Praceta das Amoreiras. It was sold at public auction, without visits from government officials or buyers. The latter, according to neighbor Fernanda, might have looked at the apartment below, which is similar. "The price was good, even if renovations were needed inside (it was worth it)," she says.
On Tuesday, the new owners, a Treasury official and a locksmith arrived to take possession. The entrance door had already been opened, but Augusta's body prevented entry into the kitchen. The firefighters were called.
"There was also the body of a dog and some birds, who must have kept her company," says Luís Pimentel, commander of the Agualva-Cacém Firefighters, who attended the incident. In 43 years of service, he says, this was the first time he had encountered such a case.
"She was very fond of animals. I sometimes scolded her because she fed the cats on the street and attracted rats," says Júlio Luís, 60, owner of a small cafe near the victim's building. "She was not very sociable. She only came out to take out the trash."
Despite being one of the building's first residents, Augusta was reserved, according to neighbors. "It was just 'good morning, good evening' on the stairs," says retired Laurinda Cardoso, 77, who lives on the floor below Aida's. "She only rang the bell to pay the condominium fees," says Fernanda Borges, from the 1st floor. Her husband had died a few years earlier.
"She had no family, was not registered with any senior association. We knew she lived there, but we didn't keep in touch," says Felipe Santos, from the Junta de Freguesia (similar to a sub-prefecture in Brazil) of Rio do Mouro. "No one can explain how this happened. But it happened."
The mailbox full of papers suggested something was wrong with Augusta, according to Aida. "At night I thought, 'Did she fall into the sea?'" says the neighbor, as the woman sometimes traveled to the coast. "Either she was dead or disappeared. She lost her mind, you know?" comments Laurinda.
"At night I thought, 'Did she fall into the sea?'"
The suspicion that the elderly woman might still be in the apartment stemmed from the permanently lit light and open windows. "There was a cockroach infestation, and I said it was coming from there," says Júlio Luís, from the cafe, whose son lived in the building.
"If I lived with the corpse for 8 years, now it won't make any difference" - Fernanda Borges, neighborAccording to residents, no smell was noticed during these years. Therefore, some assumed she was in the bedroom with the door closed. "The other day I even commented: 'Is the woman in there?'" says Laurinda.
The neighbors interviewed by G1 state that the discovery did not prompt them to move. "Her poor soul is long gone now," says Laurinda. "If I lived with the corpse for 8 years, now it won't make any difference," says Fernanda.
"I even cried when I saw her body being taken out. It's very sad to see years go by while a person was there, dead," says Aida.
The victim's body was taken to the Institute of Forensic Medicine. There is no forecast yet for the burial.
Other Side
The GNR's Public Relations department informed G1 that they do not yet have information to confirm that the disappearance was reported, but that the documents presented by Aida to the reporter are presumably true. Files older than 5 years are archived, which is why the one possibly related to the case has not yet been found, they reported.
The Ministry of Finance states that it acted within the law and could not provide further information. The police say that the area where the apartment is located was not under their responsibility at the time.
The Sintra Court, which was also allegedly notified of the disappearance, stated that the matter falls under the competence of the Public Prosecutor's Office. The Public Prosecutor's Office was contacted by the report, but did not respond to calls. (Vitor Sorano from Portugal; special for G1:
Source: http://eptv.globo.com/caminhosdaroca/NOT,0,0,335540,
Ordem+de+despejo+ncontra+idosa+morta+ha+9+anos+em+apartamento.aspx
