During a welfare check Monday morning in St. Clair County, the body of an elderly woman was discovered inside her home.
Officers were called to a home at 9:30 a.m. to check on 80-year-old Karen Hayashi. When authorities arrived, they discovered her decomposing corpse inside the bedroom. Hayashi looked to be dead for an extended period of time, according to police.
The reason of death is uncertain due to the body’s decomposition, according to KMOV.
Hayashi’s daughter, 48-year-old Reena Hayashi, who resided with the victim, was arrested by police. According to the probable cause affidavit, Reena placed her mother’s body in a locked bedroom and used air fresheners to disguise the stench. Karen’s daughter continued to file her mother’s taxes and collect her mother’s benefits after her mother died.
When police inquired about her mother, Reena lied and stated that she had relocated to Hawaii.
She is being jailed on a $60,000 bond after being accused with concealing a death and obstructing justice.
