A woman in her 30s died after being found at home with bed sores so severe that they had been infested with maggots, news reports said Sunday.
Her husband has been arrested on suspicion of neglect resulting in death.
Police said the husband called 119, the emergency hotline, at about 8:18 a.m. on Nov. 17, reporting that his wife was “semiconscious.”
When emergency responders arrived at the couple’s home in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, they found the woman suffering from severe bedsores on her lower body and maggots across her body.
She briefly went into cardiac arrest while being transported to a hospital. Although medical staff were able to resuscitate her, she died the following day.
Hospital staff alerted police and the husband was arrested later that day.
Investigators said the woman had suffered from panic disorder and depression since August and had difficulty moving, though it was not clear if this was based on medical records or the suspect's account. Despite her worsening condition and the development of bedsores, the husband did not take her to a hospital, investigators said.
The woman’s family told police the husband had prevented them from visiting, claiming she said she would die her family came to the house.
During questioning, the husband reportedly told police he had not noticed the foul smell because his wife used deodorant and incense heavily, which he said gave him headaches.
shinjh@heraldcorp.com
