BALDWIN, Maine — The Maine State Police and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office continue to investigate the discovery of a woman’s body buried on her son’s property in Baldwin on Sunday.
Investigators do not suspect foul play is involved but autopsy results are pending additional testing by the state medical examiner’s office, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland said Monday in a news release.
The dead woman is Carolyn Farnell, 72, who had been living with her 43-year-old son, Shawn Farnell, at 15 Harris Road before her death, McCausland said.
McCausland said the woman, who had been in failing health, likely died last week and was buried by her son on the property.
“Family members have told detectives that the woman did not want to go to the hospital and wanted to be buried on the property,” he said. Her body was located in the backyard buried under about three feet dirt, along with other items from the house, which has been under renovation.
Investigators worked for about seven hours Sunday to exhume the remains and said they have not located any death certificate or permit to bury the body, which is required by state law, McCausland said.
He said that no one has been charged and the investigative file likely will be reviewed by the district attorney’s office once the investigation has been completed and the autopsy results finalized.