A Dutch pensioner kept the body of his 101-year-old father in a freezer because he “didn’t want to lose him”, according to local media.
Police in Landgraaf, southeastern Netherlands, discovered the dead body in a freezer at a residential home on Saturday.
The police force said the deceased, who lived in the home, did not die as a result of crime.
“We are currently investigating the death of this person and why the remains were placed in a freezer,” Landgraaf police said in a statement.
“In the interest of the investigation, we are not making any statements about the relationship between the residents of the building at this time.”
Local broadcaster L1 is reporting that the man’s son kept his father’s body in a freezer so he could “still talk to him”.
“I didn’t want to lose him,” the son, who has not been named, reportedly told L1.
“I didn’t want to lose him. Otherwise I would miss him,” he added.
His father is understood to have died a year and a half ago due to natural causes.
According to De Limburger, the case came to light through the doctor of the deceased man.
He was concerned about his health after which he alerted the police on Saturday. Officers then found the body in the home.
A neighbour told Dutch media AD that the son was sick himself, and had lived in the house on Mansholtstraat for decades.
“Due to a tumour, he has to go to the hospital regularly,” the neighbour told AD.
Police are reportedly now investigating whether any fraud has been committed.
