This is why you don't break into abandoned houses.

[Rain Man]

First off, the dead guy would have had a right to shoot the kid, so let's get that out of the way off the bat.

But imagine going into an abandoned house and opening a closet to find a body that's been hanging there for five years. That's got to freak a person out.

http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/natio...ohio/10646305/

DAYTON, Ohio - A child exploring a vacant home in an Ohio neighborhood makes a gruesome discovery. The terrified boy stumbled across the homeowner's mummified remains.

"My son came home and said he said to me that he had gone into an abandoned house and he found a body. And I said, 'Wait what?"' said Michelle McGrath.

Michelle McGrath says her 12-year-old son is adventurous. So when he saw this overgrown house on Harbine in Dayton, he ventured inside. But what he saw may have scarred him for life.

"When he first came across it, he thought it was a dummy, or a mannequin or something," said McGrath.

It was the mummified body of a man, believed to be 53-year-old Edward Brunton. He'd been hanging in a closet for five years.

"It is very unique to find mummified remains like this, 5-years-old," said Coroner Kent Harshbarger.

Harshbarger was called to the scene and police opened an investigation.

"He was found suspended from the neck still from a belt in the closet. So it appears to be a suicide," he said.

Brunton bought the house in October 2009 and the coroner says, based on some evidence found inside, he died shortly after that. Taxes have never been paid, the lawn has never been cut, and most neighbors had never even seen him.

"I didn't realize there was anybody in the house," said neighbor Alberta Ballard.

Ballard has lived directly across the street for 40 years and is stunned by the discovery.

"There was no activity. No one coming and going. It looks just like it does now. Yes, I was shocked," she said.

Ballard has complained to the city, which has been mowing the lawn from time to time. McGrath said people she talked to did smell something years ago.

"One of them said to me. I smelled something one day, but I thought something crawled and died underneath the shed," said McGrath.

She says it's a sad commentary on the community that someone could be dead for so long without anyone ever noticing.

"I think it's disturbing that the neighbors didn't smell it, they didn't call, that people aren't more involved in their neighborhood," she said.

Officials say the victim does have a brother in the area, but that he hasn't seen him since 2008. Even though the coroner's office believes this was a suicide, police are still investigating to make sure.

[loochy]

i probably wouldn't be able to sleep well for a few years after seeing that

[cdcox]

"He was a quiet neighbor. Mostly he just liked to hang around the house."

[cdcox]

"We never heard any noose from him."

[Dartgod]

He clearly had mummy issues.

[The Franchise]

She says it's a sad commentary on the community that someone could be dead for so long without anyone ever noticing.

It's a pretty sad commentary that she considers her son's "breaking into abandoned houses" as "adventurous". How about your kid stays out of shit that isn't his.

[Dayze]

that's what the kid gets for hanging around abandoned houses.

[Rain Man]

"He never caused any problems. We think he collected flies."


Actually, my big lesson here is that I may just stop paying my property taxes. It doesn't seem like you get in trouble for it.

[Dave Lane]

Sounds like a cool guy to hang out with.

[ptlyon]

See, this is why Ohio sucks.

Here, we would be over there introducing ourselves and offering a cold one.

"Like yo, what ap? Coldie? You got a wife and stuff?"

[Predarat]

They could make a Stand By Me 2 based off this incident.

[Radar Chief]

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

Sounds like a cool guy to hang out with.

David Carradine approved.

[shakesthecat]

Originally Posted by Predarat

They could make a Stand By Me 2 based off this incident.

Perfect comeback role for River Phoenix

[sedated]

Either he has no friends, or the ones he does have are assh0les.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

It's a pretty sad commentary that she considers her son's "breaking into abandoned houses" as "adventurous". How about your kid stays out of shit that isn't his.

You must not know any kids. Also if it's abandoned, who cares?