Khaberni - German police found a mummified body of an elderly woman after receiving a report from a mayor who grew concerned after his repeated failed attempts to contact her. The police suspect that her daughter hid her death to collect her retirement pension, according to the newspaper "Bild".
The mayor of Ruhmannsfelden in Bavaria, Werner Troiber, tried annually over the past eight years to visit Sophie at her home, born in 1922, to honor her long life.
Every time, he found the door closed or her daughter, Krista at home, made up an excuse for not receiving him, according to "Bild".
On December 30, 2025, he finally decided to contact the public prosecutor when he was no longer convinced by the excuses provided by the daughter, 82-year-old Krista, who claimed that her mother had died two years ago in Czechia.
The mayor mentioned to the newspaper "Bild" that the situation seemed "suspicious" to him.
The police finally intervened on February 5th, and found a "mummified body" in the home of Sophie and Krista, according to a statement issued by the Bavarian police on February 12th.
An autopsy of the body could not determine the cause or date of death, but it dated back several years, according to the same source which also noted that there was no evidence of a murder.
Nevertheless, an investigation was opened for fraud, as it is suspected that the deceased's daughter continued to collect her mother's pension, according to the police.
According to the newspaper "Bild", Sophie's health insurance card had not been used for more than 10 years, but her retirement pension of approximately 1500 euros continued to be paid out.
According to the Bavarian police, the suspect, Krista, voluntarily entered a medical clinic.
