Missouri woman found fused to recliner in home

Ok, this has to be one of the most disturbing/disgusting stories I have read in quite a while. How can someone let their own mother die in this manner? I understand that he was honoring her wishes, as he states, but there are more sanitary and honorable ways to do this (ever hear of Hospice?) Anyway, I have heard of similar stories of people being fused/grafted to a chair, but it was because they were overweight and could not or would not try to get out of it. This doesn't seem to be the case. I think it shows a total disrespect for the woman. There are more "honorable" ways to pass on, if it is a choice. CAUTION - This is a little repulsive.

A suburban Kansas City woman was left sitting in a vinyl recliner for so long that her skin had fused to the chair and she had to be pried out to be taken to a hospital after suffering an apparent stroke, authorities said. Carol F. Brown's adult son told a state official he had left his 74-year-old mother in the chair for five days without helping her get up to use the bathroom or bathe because he was honoring her wishes to die in her Independence home, according to court documents that described the woman as a "rotting corpse that was still breathing." Brown later died.

Police were contacted after Brown was taken to a hospital Oct. 27 and found to have a maggot infestation inside an open wound around her ankle, according to the court documents that said Brown's home was "filthy with a heavy smell of bodily fluids and feces." Brown's son, James Owens, told an official with the Missouri Division of Senior and Disability Services that his mother had been in the chair since Oct. 23 and that he was honoring her wishes to be left to die, the documents said.

Owens, who the documents said had started the application process to gain state aid to be his mother's caretaker, said he did give the woman tomato and chicken noodle soup. No working telephone listing for a James Owens could be found Wednesday and a number listed under Brown's name rang unanswered. Police who searched Brown's home took prescription drug bottles and pills, a section of the recliner and a soiled towel, court records show. Jackson County prosecutor's office spokesman Mike Mansur said no decision will be made about possible charges until the medical examiner rules on Brown's cause of death. "I've heard it could take some time," Mansur said. "I don't yet know how quickly it will come.

news.yahoo.com...

reply to post by Veritas1


Are you serious? I'm going to the actual article and I will edit this post afterwards but am I understanding that she was found fused to a recliner? how sickening is that?

Sick but not unheard of
Very large people who do not move end up being fused to furniture too. Its when the skin dies and regrows and dies and regrows etc a few times until it grows into the fabric. Quite gross.

I've heard of that happening before, but it's still disgusting and disturbing. Whether or not it was her wish, he still should have used common sense. But, that kind of stuff is to be expected in today's world.

Elderly abuse. plain and simple. She needed hospice and home health care, but I'm willing to bet that would have bit into money he may have been eye-ing. (

reply to post by Veritas1


She was in that recliner longer than 5 days if she was fused to it. It takes weeks for your skin to begin to absorb foreign materials.

This Owens fellow is lying hardcore. If she knew she was dying and wanted to die in peace swallowing a handful of those pills would be more humane.

reply to post by lonewolf19792000


I agree...after only five days, the worst she might have would be the beginnings of a bedsore.
And to have maggots in an open wound?? BLECH! No way, she's been there waaayyy longer than five days

reply to post by Veritas1


I am sure there has to be a way to humanely and with dignity honor her wishes. Sounds to me like the son was just too lazy to do the basics so how did he expect to be her caretaker?

This is news to me - that poor lady!

Well, I heard it here on ATS first. Thanks OP This is discusting, heart-breaking, you name it...but at the same time blows my mind.

I didn't even realize our bodies could FUSE with things! Maybe, from the scientific aspect of this, one could elaborate how our bodies absorb the materials around us?

The son must have been or is mentally challenged?

reply to post by Veritas1


Oh my goodness, that must have been VERY painful and not to mention a terrible experience.

Talk about dying over and over again before actually dying poor woman.

reply to post by Veritas1


Tha'ts quite crazy. Fused to a chair.............. I feel so bad for this women, it's just so sad to hear about stuff like this.