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Marshals Discover Woman's Body While Serving Eviction Notice At Bronx Apartment

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) --A woman not seen for several months may have been dead in her Bronx apartment for a while.

Two weeks ago when Rosaura Cabreja and her family moved into their apartment at 2000 Prospect Ave. in the East Tremont section of the Bronx -- they noticed an awful smell, but didn't know where it was coming from.

"When we moved the first time we came, it was smelling bad," Rosaura Cabreja said.

The smell was coming from apartment 7C next door. As CBS2's Tracee Carrasco reported, police sources said -- after missed rent payments -- marshals executing an eviction notice Thursday afternoon, found the skeletal remains of a 53-year-old woman underneath a bed in a bedroom.

The building super had no idea they'd make such a gruesome discovery.

"They came this morning and they tell my guy, my helper to open the door for him. So, they open the door and they went and they find the lady," he said.

Police sources said the woman hadn't been since October 2015 -- 9 months ago.

"I seen her a long time ago, I was wondering where she was. I haven't seen anyone come check on her or nothing," Donisha Campbell said.

"No one knew that she was dead in the house, cause she used to come out here and talk to everybody," Sonya Brown said.

The 53-year-old woman has not been identified yet. The New York City Medical Examiner's office will determine the exact cause of death. At the time it's unclear if there is any criminality in the case.

The building super tells us the woman was renting the apartment through an agency that helps with mental needs.

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