Woman Who Lived With Dead Husband For Month

An elderly woman, 78, was found living with her husband's body for a month after he died of natural causes in his sleep, authorities said Monday.

The woman, Doris Kirby, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, was hospitalized after the discovery.

House of Doris Kirby and late Jesse Kirby

The body of her husband, Jesse Kirby, 76, was discovered Friday afternoon in his bed when police went to the home to check on the couple, said Morgan County Coroner Jeff Chunn.

The man had numerous health problems including heart issues and apparently died of natural causes in his sleep about four weeks ago, the coroner said.

The door was closed to the bedroom where the man died, Chunn said, and the woman continued living in other parts of the house with access to food.

The Coroner Chunn believes that the woman even realized what was going on when emergency medical workers came to take her to the hospital.

Police saw the man's body through a window after going to the house in response to a relative who had been trying to contact the couple and could not reach them. Two dogs that apparently died of starvation were found in the bedroom also.

Neighbors were unaware anything was wrong, said Dean Hayes, who lives nearby.