Man arrested after Paintsville police say he concealed his mother’s death for months

PAINTSVILLE, Ky. (WKYT) - A man was arrested Monday after Paintsville police said he hid the death of his mother for several months.

John Carroll is charged with abuse of a corpse, failure to report a death, theft by unlawful taking and seven counts of second-degree possession of a forged instrument.

Police said that on Monday, Oct. 19, they received a request for a welfare check at a home where Carroll’s mother lived.

Family members reported that Carroll said his mother had died a week earlier and was still in her bed.

After finding the woman’s body inside the home, police conducted a weeklong investigation that found she had been dead for more than four months.

Carroll was taken into custody by Pikeville police at a local Buffalo Wild Wings.

He is currently lodged at the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center.