A South Florida woman pleaded guilty to collecting her dead mother’s federal benefits for six years after her death, all the while the mother’s decomposing body remained in the house the two women shared. As part of a plea agreement, the woman, Penelope Jordan, 61, faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In addition, she must repay $237,876 she collected unlawfully.
Ms. Jordan was arrested in March after the authorities responded to complaints by her neighbours of an overwhelming stench emanating from garbage on her property and the presence of numerous feral cats.
With Ms. Jordan’s consent, the police entered the dilapidated house and discovered it was cluttered with garbage. After repeated inquiries by detectives about her mother’s whereabouts, Ms. Jordan admitted that her mother, Timmie Jordan, had died some time ago. She then directed the officers to a bedroom where they found the mother’s decomposed body clad in a nightgown and covered in a sheet.
Detective Rich Snell said Ms. Jordan told him she did not have the money to bury her mother, “so she left her in bed.” Miles Martin, a retired carpenter from Alden, N.Y., and a longtime neighbour, said he was shocked to learn what had become of Ms. Jordan’s mother.
“We never would have never thought there would be that kind of person in this neighbourhood,” Mr. Martin said pointing to a street lined with simple, neat ranch-style homes. He did note, however, some of Ms. Jordan’s strange behaviour, like her penchant “for cutting the grass in the rain” and keeping all her clothes in her car parked in the driveway.
Ms. Jordan remains free on bond until her Sept. 21 sentencing, according to records filed Monday. The police have said there were no signs of foul play leading to the death of Timmie Jordan, who was 81.
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