Dog guards owner’s body as elderly woman dies in Nonthaburi
An elderly woman was found dead yesterday, January 12, at her home in Soi Ngamwongwan 8, Nonthaburi, with her loyal dog refusing to let anyone near the body, prompting an unusual rescue operation.
The discovery was made after officers from Mueang Nonthaburi Police Station received a report of a death at a two-storey wooden and concrete house. Rescue volunteers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation and a medical examiner from the Institute of Forensic Medicine were dispatched to the scene.
Upon arrival, they found the 77 year old woman lying face-up on the floor next to a bathroom on the ground floor, unclothed. A four-legged stainless steel walking cane was found knocked over nearby.
Rescue staff were initially unable to enter the home due to the woman’s white Thai dog, reportedly named Hippo, which remained by the body and barked aggressively at anyone who approached.
A family member, who referred to the deceased as his grandmother despite her technically being his great-aunt, explained that she lived alone in the house with Hippo, a stray she had adopted more than a decade ago.
The family had often encouraged her to move into a nearby house with them, but she had refused, insisting on staying with her dog. They regularly checked on her, and on this occasion, she had failed to respond, leading to the discovery.
Rescue worker Weerayut Phetkaemthong said they were initially told someone had fallen unconscious inside the house. Upon arrival, they encountered the dog, which prevented entry.
The team eventually devised a plan to distract the dog by having one member climb to the second floor. When the dog ran upstairs to investigate, the team blocked the stairs, allowing medical staff to access the body.
The medical examiner reported no signs of physical injury or struggle. It is believed the woman died of natural causes, likely linked to an existing medical condition. Her body was later released to her relatives for religious rites, reported Dailynews.
In similar news, a motorcycle taxi driver was found dead in the bathroom of a police outpost in Prachin Buri, with police estimating he had been dead for more than 24 hours.
