Man hides mother's body in freezer for 3 years to collect pension and benefits
A British man who kept his mother's body in a freezer for nearly three years while he received almost £80,000 (US$108,000) of her welfare benefits has been sent to jail.
Christopher Phillips, a 60-year-old man from Porthcawl, south Wales, has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison for hiding his 89-year-old mother Sylvia Phillips in a freezer for three years. The crime came to light in February when police responded to concerns about his mother, who hadn't been seen by medical professionals since September 2022.
Phillips had admitted to preventing a proper burial of his mother and instead kept her body frozen, covered with flowers and a birthday card from him. He collected approximately £78,000 in benefits and pension payments during this time, fraudulently taking advantage of her death. The cause of her death remains unknown. Detective Chief Inspector Claire Lamerton from South Wales Police described the case as "extremely sad," highlighting how Phillips concealed his mother's demise and profited financially for an extended period.
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