Mummified Aunt Discovered

An Austrian woman lived with the mummified remains of her aunt for a year, Vienna police said on Wednesday.

Officers found the corpse of the 96-year-old aunt under a blanket on a bed - after ignoring the 51-year-old niece's claim that her aunt was sleeping, and should not be disturbed.

A preliminary inquiry had determined that the niece, who was taken to a psychiatric hospital for examination, may have covered up the death for financial reasons, a police statement said.

Austrian news agency APA quoted police investigator Gerald Hoebart as saying possible theft was being looked into, since the younger woman appeared to have lived off her aunt's pension since the death and used her cashpoint card to withdraw money.

An autopsy was planned to check whether any foul play was involved in the death, believed to have happened in August 2006.