Buyer finds kittens, body in foreclosed home

A real estate agent and two prospective buyers on Saturday found live kittens in the trash cart behind a house they were touring.

A short time later, to-be buyer Phil Gustafson opened the first-floor closet door of a home on the 2400 block of W. Michigan St. and discovered a man’s body.

“He was facing the inside of the closet, laying on his side, his back to the door. I could not see his face. He was covered with a blanket or a coat partially,” real estate agent Jack Alves told The Kansas City Star.

The foreclosed home had been stripped of pipes and sinks, had paint peeling off the walls and holes were smashed into the walls. It was being sold for $15,000. Kansas City Star reports that the city estimates $109,000 would make the building livable.

The man was later identified as John Ernest Abbott, 53, who’s address was listed at the morgue as “homeless in Milwaukee.” Abbott reportedly suffered from mental illness, in particular schizophrenia.

“Needless to say, we’re not very interested in that property anymore,” Gustafson’s friend, Keith Frank Jr., said.

An updated photo of the house can be seen here.

Contact Kristen DeSilva at kdesilva@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3895. Find her on Twitter: @kristendesilva