Brain-Disabled Son Guards Father's Body For Five Days
A man with brain disability kept his elderly father's body on a sofa for five days in Samut Prakan province without telling anyone, until his sister discovered the truth when he confessed after she asked if their father had eaten.
A 52-year-old man with brain disability and Alzheimer's disease kept vigil over his father's body for nearly five days without informing anyone, as neighbors mistook a foul odor for a dead rat. On July 5, 2569, police in Phra Pradaeng district, Samut Prakan province received a report of a death inside a residential home in Suksa-Wasdee Soi 70, branching 14, in Bang Khu subdistrict. Officers discovered an elderly man's decomposed body lying on a sofa on the ground floor wearing only black shorts. The corpse showed signs of decomposition, suggesting death occurred approximately five days prior. No evidence of struggle, robbery, or assault was found.
The deceased's 52-year-old son, who suffers from brain disability and Alzheimer's disease, was found sitting outside the house. His 49-year-old sister revealed that their father had been bedridden since early in the year following a fall. The two sons cared for him while their sister lived across the street. When she visited that morning to ask if their father had eaten and taken his medication, the son simply stated "Father is dead," prompting her to immediately notify authorities.
The caregiver son explained that when he went to feed his father days earlier, he found him unresponsive with no reaction to calls or physical touch. He realized his father had died but was too afraid to tell anyone, fearing his father's sadness and uncertain what to do. He only revealed the truth that morning when his sister asked if their father had eaten.
A 66-year-old neighbor reported that for the past two to three days, she and other neighbors detected a strong foul odor, initially believing a rat had died but unable to locate the source. That morning, the son went to ask his sister for money to buy food for his father. When she questioned his father's condition, he confessed that their father had been dead for several days, revealing the source of the persistent smell.
The deceased's daughter expressed that although her brother suffers from illness and mental impairment, he loved and cared for their father well despite being responsible for his full-time care. She felt no blame toward her brother, believing he did his best, but was saddened that he did not inform the family immediately.
