Neighbors and Town Officials Were Well Aware of Beverly Mitchell's Hoarding

When Beverly Mitchell, 66, of Cheshire, died last weekend it made national news because of the circumstances surrounding her death. 

She died when the first floor of her house collapsed on top of her from the weight of debris and clutter she had collected over the years. 

The Waterbury Republican-American reports that neighbors had concerns over Mitchell’s clutter in her 22 Winslow Road house for some time. 

Town and regional officials also had visited her site on several occasions too, reporter Paul Singley reports. 

The Health Department had a large file on Mitchell’s house but they said that it’s hard to help someone who doesn’t want to be helped, the Republican-American reports. 

Nationally, 3 million Americans are affected by hoarding, the paper reports. 

The Medical Examiner’s confirmed last week that Mitchell, 66, died when the first floor of her house collapsed on her from the weight of debris she had hoarded over the years, the New Haven Register reports. 

Town officials are still weighing whether Mitchell’s house will have to be demolished because of structural issues, Luther Turmelle, of the Register reports. 

Mitchell was found by emergency responders on June 14 buried under debris that had fallen on top of her as the first floor of her house collapsed. 

Emergency responders had to cut a hole in the house and use a backhoe in order to reach her. 

If her house needs to be demolished the town would pay for it but would place a lien on the property to recoup its investment, the Register reports. 

Last Tuesday the State Medical Examiner ruled that Mitchell died of accidental and traumatic asphyxia. 

Police say a U.S. Postal employee noticed Beverly Mitchell’s mail had been piling up at her house on Thursday, WFSB TV reports. 

But it took until that Saturday morning for local and state authorities to reach Mitchell, who was found in her basement buried under a pile of debris, WFSB reports. 

Mitchell’s first floor was piled waist high with papers and telephone books and other items, WFSB TV reports.