Arkansas woman accused of living with her dead mother, mummified in newspaper, for almost one year
A woman in Arkansas lived with her mother’s body in a home they shared so she allegedly could continue receiving the woman’s monthly social security and disabilities payments, authorities said.
According to a preliminary Washington County Sheriff's Office report, George Maness, the brother of 73-year-old Gloria Pike reported her missing on July 21. He told investigators his sister was suffering from advanced breast cancer and was living with her daughter, Geanee Pike, 54.
Maness, who lived next door to his elderly sister in Lincoln, said he had not seen her since August 2020.
The report states sheriff’s office investigator Sgt. Autumn Holland contacted Geanee Pike, who refused to consent to a search of the home she shared with her mother, saying the senior was not missing but with “an unknown friend at an unknown location,” according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
- Woman Arrested After 95-Year-Old Father Found Buried in Homemade Coffin in Nevada: Police
- Mississippi Woman Who Once Drove Around For Days With Body in Trunk Now Accused of Killing Son, Hiding Body in Box Behind False Wall
- Cops find missing woman’s decomposed body ‘partially concealed’ under clothing at home, son accused of murder
Holland, during the investigation, subpoenaed and combed through Gloria Pike’s bank account and check card details, allegedly discovering a July 27 Dollar General Store transaction, according to the report. Security camera video allegedly shows Geanee Pike, who previously claimed to authorities she could not access the accounts, in the shop that day with making a purchase with her mother’s checking card.
Law enforcement served a search warrant on the mother and daughter’s home and discovered Gloria Pike’s mummified body wrapped in newspapers dating from 2020 and lying on a bed in an area around the living room and kitchen.
Officers reported there were buckets and jugs filled with feces and urine scattered throughout the residence, which did not have running water.
Geanee Pike allegedly told detectives her mother passed away from natural causes. Geanee Pike claimed she was taking money from the banking account since her mother was in debt to her and had promised to pay her back with the social security payments, authorities said.
She was booked into the Washington County Detention Center and faces charges of abuse of a corpse and financial fraud.
Become a Front Page Detective
Sign up to receive breaking
Front Page Detectives
news and exclusive investigations.