Body Found in House Full of Garbage

[rockin'robin]

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Missing-persons detectives in hazardous-materials suits searched a Westside home full of rotting garbage to find the body of a 72-year-old woman who had not been seen for three days.

Jacksonville Fire-Rescue spokesman Tom Francis said rescuers were called to a home in the 7600 block of Crest Drive Tuesday night by the woman's family.

The woman's Chihuahua roaming in the front yard was described as emaciated.

When firefighters forced their way inside, they found found piles of garbage 6 to 7 feet high.

Video: Woman Found Dead In Garbage-Filled House

Two police officers who searched the home shortly after 11 p.m. were overcome by fumes and taken to the hospital as a precaution. Francis called the odor "unbelievable; description cannot define."

An initial search of the house by police and rescuers with a K-9 search dog did not find the woman. Police and firefighters returned to the home Wednesday morning with cadaver dogs and protective equipment for a second search of the home.

"The victim was located after a short search," Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Sgt. Patrick Geisenburg said. "It is now being investigated as undetermined death."

Police identified the woman as Carina Deocampo.

Carina Deocampo

Family members said Deocampo became a recluse after retiring as a psychologist with the Florida Department of Corrections. They said family would drop food off for her at the front door, but no one was allowed inside.

A family member said Deocampo had heart problems and they had once called 911 for medical help, but Deochamp refused to open the door to them.

Channel 4's Laura Mazzeo was told Deocampo had hoarded from an early age, but it got worse when a family member died.

"She helped a lot of people, but couldn't help herself," a cousin told Mazzeo.

Homicide detectives who have taken over the case and an autopsy was to be conducted to determine the cause of death.

City code enforcement personnel have condemned the house.

Body Found In House Full Of Garbage - Jacksonville News Story - WJXT Jacksonville

 

[Reba]

Awful.

 

[kokonut]

Interesting to see that woman was a psychologist with an unstable mind. What a horrible way to die in that filth.

 

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

Hoarding does not indicate someone is unstable since there are many people from different walks of life.

I wish I know what made this woman tick, like is it a form of OCD-type disorder, an extreme case of OCPD, or an ADD-type with a perfectionist complex... Whatever the case is, we can rule out dementia and few other causes if she has been struggling with this all her life, and is a former psychologist.

It"s not a pretty ending... but you know... everyone got their own personal hell in their own homes.

 

[Reba]

Interesting to see that woman was a psychologist with an unstable mind. What a horrible way to die in that filth.

I'm afraid even psychologists aren't immune to mental illness and the resulting problems. They are human, after all.

 

[Reba]

... but you know... everyone got their own personal hell in their own homes.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that.

 

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

I wouldn't go so far as to say that.

True, I was just saying-- everyone has their own personal problem that they are concealing from themselves or from the world, one way or another.

I remember this one researcher... he seemed stable and everything, got along great in the workplace, has a great girlfriend and everything. At least until I went to drop off something, then... his house was just full of beer cans, beer bottles, years worth of books lying everywhere.

I would had never suspected he was an alcoholic with "messy" problem. Messy is understated. He refused to acknowledge the problem also.

Funny thing? Everyone says he's the most well-adjusted, most stable and logical person they ever met. They still do to this day, but I dare not to repeat what I have seen. :S

 

[Jiro]

this reminds me of murderous cop with several ex-wives.

 

[kokonut]

I'm afraid even psychologists aren't immune to mental illness and the resulting problems. They are human, after all.

I agree, Reba. I wonder whether it's pride or the mental illness that prevented her from reaching out for help?

 

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

I agree, Reba. I wonder whether it's pride or the mental illness that prevented her from reaching out for help?

Shame.

It's shame. You know society is messed up when Oprah forgives pedophiles, yet condemn hoarders.

The deeper mess they get into, the harder it is to get out because they are afraid of being stunned or being punished--- which cause them to spiral downhill even further since it is a snowball effect. The only time they really get help is when they are tired of lying and being ashamed.

 

[kokonut]

Well, that's one aspect. You'd think a woman with a psychology background would recognize her own problems and find a way to stop it?

 

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

Well, that's one aspect. You'd think a woman with a psychology background would recognize her own problems and find a way to stop it?

Not necessarily. If you go to a "Clutterers Anonymous" group, many members are self-aware of their own problems for years, just that they don't know where to start until it's too late. Too late being... kicked out for late rent, family or friend finding out, health complaints and so on.

 

[kokonut]

What are the odds that they're psychologists?

 

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

What are the odds that they're psychologists?

Not all psychologists are trained to deal with this kind of thing. I think there is only under 20 or so psychologists in the United States that are trained to deal with complusive-hoarding disorder. Even then, there are not a lot of research being done (other than Tufts University.) Even then, there is only 5 or so professional organizers that are certified to be able to help people take care of themselves in cases like this.

Kinda sad when there is little or no professional and academic support for a condition that many people are familiar with,, eh?

 

[rockin'robin]

What are the odds that they're psychologists?

I would say "slim".....

Perhaps depression was the culprit here!....I've known a lot of people, called "pack rats"....even in small mobile homes. And one man who suffered from PST after being in the Vietnam war. He was a "hoarder" of anything, never threw anything out, even his old meds from the Vietnam war! Watching "Hoarders" on the A&E channel too gives a lot of info to these types of people.

As for myself, I can't stand "clutter"...throw out what I don't use or need. But my son is a "keeper"...papers from the 1st grade. But we go into his "junk drawer" at least once every few months and throw out stuff.

Maybe some people grew up with hardly nothing...and have a hard time parting with things, fearing they will wind up with nothing.....

 

[kokonut]

Not all psychologists are trained to deal with this kind of thing. I think there is only under 20 or so psychologists in the United States that are trained to deal with complusive-hoarding disorder. Even then, there are not a lot of research being done (other than Tufts University.) Even then, there is only 5 or so professional organizers that are certified to be able to help people take care of themselves in cases like this.

Kinda sad when there is little or no professional and academic support for a condition that many people are familiar with,, eh?

They don't even have to be experts in that subject but certainly they should be already quite familiar with the condition of extreme compulsiveness. After all, they are in that realm of field of study. I guess that woman knew she was living a lie as a psychologist and tried to keep it secret at home. Only to die in her own mess and filth. Sad...and disgusting at the same time.

 

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

They don't even have to be experts in that subject but certainly they should be already quite familiar with the condition of extreme compulsiveness. After all, they are in that realm of field of study. I guess that woman knew she was living a lie as a psychologist and tried to keep it secret at home. Only to die in her own mess and filth. Sad...and disgusting at the same time.

Stop right there, you have no empathy. One does not correlate with the other.

You don't know what she specializes in as a psychologist. You don't even know how compulsive-hoarding manifest, and how easy it is to ignore the problem.

 

[Jiro]

They don't even have to be experts in that subject but certainly they should be already quite familiar with the condition of extreme compulsiveness. After all, they are in that realm of field of study. I guess that woman knew she was living a lie as a psychologist and tried to keep it secret at home. Only to die in her own mess and filth. Sad...and disgusting at the same time.

let's not play "Dr. Phil" in here, eh?

 

[kokonut]

Stop right there, you have no empathy. One does not correlate with the other.

You don't know what she specializes in as a psychologist. You don't even know how compulsive-hoarding manifest, and how easy it is to ignore the problem.

Note the article said that she helped others but not herself.

 

[deafskeptic]

Not all psychologists are trained to deal with this kind of thing. I think there is only under 20 or so psychologists in the United States that are trained to deal with complusive-hoarding disorder. Even then, there are not a lot of research being done (other than Tufts University.) Even then, there is only 5 or so professional organizers that are certified to be able to help people take care of themselves in cases like this.

Kinda sad when there is little or no professional and academic support for a condition that many people are familiar with,, eh?

Yeah. It's sad considering how widespread OCD or other related disorders is. I will allow my first thought was that the lady sounded senile but if she's been doing this all her life, we can rule out senility in her case.