Woman's body 'found sitting at a table in her home' two years after she died

The decomposing remains of a woman were discovered by firefighters two years after she passed away in her home.

Marinella Beretta was last seen alive by her neighbors in September 2019.

The 70-year-old lived in a house near Lake Como in Lombardy, however, her neighbors believed after their last sighting of her that she must have moved away around the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, which hit northern Italy in early 2020. Sadly, that wasn't the case.

Marina Beretta lived near Lake Como (Getty Stock Images/ Feng Wei Photography)

After receiving complaints about a tree having fallen over in Beretta's garden and others being unsafe during high winds, Como fire brigade officials and police visited the elderly woman's property on February 4, 2022.

However, when they arrived, they sadly discovered Beretta's body in her home, Como City Hall press officer Francesca Manfredi confirmed to CNN. And CNN affiliate SkyTg24 later reported Beretta had actually been found sitting in a chair in her living room.

The medical examiner determined the 70-year-old woman passed away sometime towards the end of 2019, based on the extent of decomposition.

Police found nothing at the scene to suggest there was foul play involved in her death, Sky News reported at the time.

The discovery of Beretta resulted in calls for better care for older people in Italy, with family and equal opportunities minister Elena Bonetti saying her 'forgotten loneliness hurts consciences'.

Elena Bonetti pays tribute to Marinella Beretta (Elena Bonetti/Facebook)

In a post on Facebook, she wrote (translated): "Remembering her life is the duty of a community that wants to stick together... Taking care of each other is the experience of families, institutions, and our citizens. No one has to be left alone."

Como mayor Mario Landriscina invited local residents to attend Beretta's funeral and encouraged people to acknowledge her death for a 'moment of reflection'.

He commented: "It is a tragedy that occurred in a context complicated by the pandemic, from a closed and isolated city. Who knows how much this woman suffered. Now is the time to give witness and I invite the city to be present."

Landriscina told local media the local government would take care of the funeral arrangements and that he would try to be there himself, adding: "This is the moment to be together, and even if this woman had no relatives, we could become her relatives."

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677