The lifeless bodies of two octogenarians were found Wednesday evening at the couple’s home in Basècles, in the entity of Beloeil, near Tournai. “The favored theory is that of natural deaths in the context of Diogenes syndrome, a behavioral disorder,” the Mons prosecutor’s office said Thursday morning.
Neighbors who were worried about not having seen the couple for a long time notified the local police. At the start of the evening, emergency services had to force the door of the seniors’ home, rue des Déportés in Basècles. The police then discovered the bodies of the two residents, an 86-year-old woman and her 82-year-old husband.
According to the police, the deaths of the victims date back several months. The case was put under investigation and a judge was referred to the charge of homicide. “However, the path of natural death is favored“, specified the prosecution.
According to the public prosecutor, the deaths occurred in a context of Diogenes syndrome. This disorder is characterized by a tendency to compulsively accumulate all kinds of objects. These end up cluttering up all the available space and favoring the emergence of an unsanitary environment.
Diogenes syndrome also leads to neglecting personal hygiene and leads to withdrawal. The autopsy of the bodies is scheduled for Thursday.
beloeil Hainaut diogenes syndrome
Belgium
