Palma: Man Lived for About a Month with His Dead Mother in Santa Catalina

In Palma's Santa Catalina neighborhood, police discovered a woman who had apparently been dead for some time. Investigators are examining why her son did not report the death.

Shock in Santa Catalina: Police find corpse in apartment

In one of the labyrinthine old town houses of Santa Catalina, an older woman was found dead in her apartment at the beginning of October. According to initial statements from the national police, the son of the victim is said to have lived in the apartment for about a month while the mother was already dead. The neighborhood has since only whispers left — and many open questions.

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How the discovery unfolded

The emergency call came on a Monday, October 6. Residents of a side street on Carrer de la Reina (as residents report) had complained about an unusual smell and, at times, loud music. The officers opened the door and found the woman in the bedroom, according to police statements in an advanced state of decomposition. In the apartment, a fan and music were apparently running — details that will play a role in the investigations.

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Who were the two?

According to statements from police circles, the son is a man in his mid to late thirties. He is said to have had psychological problems; whether this contributed to his behavior is part of the ongoing investigation. The deceased woman is estimated to be about 80 years old. No obvious external injuries were found on her body.

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Open questions and investigations

Forensic investigations and the homicide squad are activated. A judicial autopsy should determine the exact cause of death. It is also being checked why the son did not report the death — whether out of confusion, shame, fear, or other reasons. Neighbors report that the apartment had been visited less often recently; some have known the family for years and can hardly imagine that something like this happened.

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The reaction of the neighborhood

Santa Catalina is actually a lively district with cafes and small shops. Such incidents create a feeling of unrest here. At the corner where in the morning delivery trucks and cyclists usually determine life, this week you saw fewer people on the street — many have pulled down the shutters.

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The investigations are ongoing. Until the autopsy result is available and further questions are clarified, much remains speculative. For the relatives and the neighborhood, the incident is a sad sign of how vulnerable people can be despite closeness to one another.