Woman's skeleton found in house years after her death

A Middlefield woman's skeletal remains have been found in her house, more than seven years after neighbours say they last saw her.

An autopsy determined yesterday that Ann Simmeck apparently died of natural causes, but it didn't pinpoint exactly when the reclusive woman died. Authorities say the skeleton of Simmeck, who was born in 1927, was found yesterday after her son became worried about her and called police.

The house featured a strongly worded "No Trespassing" sign, but Simmeck's estranged husband had continued over the years to mow the lawn without going inside. The utilities also were still on.

Neighbours say they last saw her in 1998 or 1999, and that investigators told them that meat from that time period was found in the freezer and that calendars hadn't been changed since then.

An autopsy performed on Friday at the state medical examiner's office in Farmington showed that Simmeck apparently died of natural causes, though the date of her death is pending further study.