86-year-old woman found 'mummified' in her home after her caregiver hid her death for 3 years: Police

An Illinois pistillate who cared for her aged neighbour allegedly kept the older woman's decease a concealed for 3 years, constabulary said.

Gena English-Wheat, 59, was charged with concealment of a decease successful February aft constabulary said they recovered the body of 86-year-old Lillie Prindle covered successful blankets successful her home. According to a probable origin connection obtained by section CBS affiliate WCIA, English-Wheat was Prindle's caregiver and her next-door neighbor. When members of Prindle's household were unable to interaction her successful November 2025, they called for a payment check.

Officers from the Springfield Police Department went to Prindle's location connected Nov. 6, 2025, and recovered her assemblage sitting successful a seat successful the surviving room, covered with blankets.

Police spoke to different neighbors who knew Prindle and English-Wheat, and they reportedly said they had not seen the older pistillate for a agelong time. It had been months since they saw English-Wheat going implicit to Prindle's house. One idiosyncratic who saw English-Wheat astatine a market store weeks earlier the grisly find said English-Wheat told her Prindle was staying with her niece.

When constabulary recovered Prindle's body, they described it arsenic "mummified" and surrounded by insect husks. Local NBC affiliate WAND reported that the coroner described the authorities of the body arsenic being successful an "advanced authorities of decomposition."

Police believed that Prindle had been dormant for astatine slightest a year. As they investigated her home, they recovered grounds that things had not changed successful the location since 2022, including expired nutrient and a calendar that had not been changed since that year.

According to the probable origin statement, constabulary soon discovered that respective of Prindle's accounts were inactive active. Prindle was receiving Social Security and her authorities pension each month, with deposits going into her slope relationship each month. Police said they besides noticed respective withdrawals being made from those accounts from the aforesaid ATM.

When constabulary obtained video surveillance of the ATM, they reportedly observed English-Wheat making 4 withdrawals during October 2025. She allegedly utilized the aforesaid paper that had been utilized to wage Prindle's inferior bills.

Police brought English-Wheat successful for questioning and advised her of her rights. She allegedly admitted to uncovering Prindle dormant successful her surviving country seat successful August 2022, but "did not archer anyone due to the fact that she did not privation anyone to know." English-Wheat told constabulary that she paid Prindle's inferior bills, maintained her lawn, and made ATM withdrawals to marque them look "active."

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WAND reported that English-Wheat allegedly took $130,000 from Prindle's account. She has not been charged successful transportation with the alleged theft.

English-Wheat was charged with concealment of a decease and arrested connected Feb. 22. She was yet granted pretrial merchandise from the Sangamon County Jail. Local ABC affiliate WICS reported that English-Wheat failed to amusement up for tribunal appearances aggregate times, including her astir caller quality connected Monday. A warrant has been issued for her arrest. Her adjacent scheduled tribunal day has not been announced.