Hi, been rough week. here is problem, my hubbys cousin found dead after 2 wks in his apt, age 46, heart complications, we cannnot locate his daughters one may live in Chicago other in Pa, cant get access to social's either, landlord A$$hole wont allow family members in....any suggestions, as daughters are beneficiaries and they need to bury him....

Thanks all

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), July 12, 2000

Answers

So sorry, consumer...

Now, what do you mean the landlord "won't" let anyone in??? You should be able to just call the local police and tell them the above story. I'll bet you'll get in after you talk to them! (Or the fire department, or the town hall.)

As far as finding his daughters, perhaps you could hire a detective? But, if you get into the apartment, you can just look in his phone book.

Man, I can't imagine the landlord won't let you in...

Good luck

-- Not now, not like this (AgentSmith0110@aol.com), July 12, 2000.

The landlord let the sis in law in and she could not take the odor, left the apt via landlord and w/police. The landlord is pissed (yes truth) because he has 4 other units in the complex and had to put tenants in hotel due to odor. He is holding 'keys' ransom until we the family pay for the couch (which is where our family member was found) to be removed and only then will allow us to have them and re- enter providing we agree to pay said ransom!!!!! WTF???

Yes i did call local police who stated landlord had right to dispose of couch and probate the rest....Insane or what?

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), July 12, 2000.

Totally and completely insane. Yikes! I've never heard anything like this...

Maybe if you go to copernic.com and download their free search engine (takes about 15 minutes) you could do a search for the daughters on there. I've found a few people using it.

Wow, I just can't believe it. Sorry I can be more helpful.

Mar.

-- Not now, not like this (AgentSmith0110@aol.com), July 12, 2000.

...I mean "can't"....

-- ugh! (AgentSmith0110@aol.com), July 12, 2000.

Consumer

Was the cousin a single man with no contact with family members? I only ask this from a practical standpoint. How was the Sister in-law able to get inside when others could not? I have to believe that the retention of a local attorney could solve this problem.

-- Ra (tion@l.1), July 12, 2000.

Consumer,

I'm sorry to hear about your sad situation.

In California, an unattended death of person not seen by a physician within the last 48 hours is a coroner's case. I assume it is that way everywhere. The coroner should have already removed the remains so I assume that they are still not in the apartment.

The rest of the matter is essentially a civil case and the police can't help you with that. You need to get a lawyer from the state of residence of this person and get some advice on what the landlord is allowed to do. This varies widely from state to state so getting someone from the state of residence is important.

Good luck.

-- Jim Cooke (JJCooke@yahoo.com), July 12, 2000.

Sumer,

Sorry to hear about your tradgedy.

From what you have said and as much as I would hate to deal with an extortionist I would probably just get rid of the couch like he wants so I could get in and possibly track down his kin.Sounds like he's got yaw'll by the short hairs legally but that still doesn't make him any less of an asshole.

Good luck hon.

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), July 12, 2000.

Consumer,

There are people who do this kind of thing for a living, clean up after deaths like this, or after murders or clean up fire damage.

Personally I would pay to have someone dispose of the couch, undertakers probably know who does these kinds of things, then you can get personal effects and find his daughters.

Any family members know their names or the cities they live in? Maybe their names are in some of the families old picture albums or written in old letters or Christmas cards.

Sorry you have to go through this.

-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), July 12, 2000.

Consumer, while I am a novice amd certainly no expert, some common sense must come in to play. Tell someone, everyone, you suspect murder. Then maybe, they will jump. Every tv story I ever saw showed police jurisdication (misp) over a Land Lord.

-- Just (s@yno.org), July 12, 2000.

Don't think you'll want to bury a 2 week old stiff, cremation is the way to go. If you do get in the apartment, be prepared for everything to be saturated with the gut-wrenching smell of rotting meat. You'll hork.

-- (a.smell.you'll@never.forget), July 13, 2000.

Sorry about your loss.

Man oh man, I can't believe it took 2 weeks for the landlord to check out the cause of the odor, and in the summertime, no less!

You need to see an attorney, or call your town's ombudsman's office and see what can be done in regards to the landlord. The state attorney general's office should have a consumer resources office that could possibly tell you what to do about the landlord. I can't believe he is leaving that couch in there still. He has a duty to mitigate the damage caused by the smell to the other tenants in the building. He legally should get the couch out of their and then make a claim against his estate during the probate process. Also: Much of the stuff in the apartment might stink so bad that it may have to be hauled to the dump.

As far as finding the daughters, don't you have any other relatives who know where they are, or keep in touch with them? I'd try those people before hiring a PI.

Good Luck.

-- (formerly@nowhere.son), July 13, 2000.

Sumer,

I'm very sorry to hear about your loss - I hope his passing was quick.

As for finding his daughters, have you tried Bigfoot.com (it's free)? Here's the link Bigfoot.com, hope it helps.

There are also other search sites for finding people, but you have to pay for each search, and the cost can add up quickly.

-- Deb M. (vmcclell@columbus.rr.com), July 13, 2000.

Hi all, here is update, and MUCH THANKS to all of you. Special folks you are :-)

I called tv station and told a 'famous for GETTING UM' type of reporter!!!!! It aired locally, REAL QUICK, landlord let my hubby and his cousin into the apt and the company which had came to dispose of sofa were there already. Cleaning company demanded money, I had informed my hubby and his cousin to 'play dumb' so they did....landlord had to pay, or they were gonna put the couch back down. ROFLMAO!!!! no good basterd.

We got the girls #'s, the landlord told hubby where the wallet was (and yes, apparently the landlord cleaned out the cash 1st, go figure) and keys to Patrick's truck.

What a terrible thing. I've NEVER in my life heard of such cruel mean spiritedness in my 38 short yrs....BTW, coroner's office ruled 'natural causes' but it was heart, seems Pat girlfriend gave him viagra as well, perhaps she didnt know he had a bad heart.

He was infamous for NOT calling folks back, at times moody, so we thought nothing of it. 72 messages on his answering machine. Let this be a lesson to us all, have a WILL made, keep family members posted about other family members.

People need people.

Closed casket (very gory wont EVEN go there) one day, today, and funeral tomorrow. We tried to get mom to agree to creamate, she wouldnt hear of it.

THANKS AGAIN TO ALL,,,,,you are FINE people.

love, sumer

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), July 14, 2000.

Consumer:

Thanks for the update. Had it been me, I would have chosen the cheapest way out of the dilemma. It seems you took it one step cheaper. [How I wish I could think like others.]

I hadn't known that viagra aggravated heart conditions until seeing a movie recently in which a man died from taking it. [Who says movies aren't educational?]

I'm glad it's almost over for you. I would have offered some advice, but I read what you posted and sat here like a deer caught in the headlights. DUH! I don't know what to do!

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), July 14, 2000.

Gruesome thread =o|

-- cin (cin@cin.cin), July 17, 2000.