What started as a simple carpet replacement turned into a nightmare discovery for real estate broker Nikki Snyder. When she pulled up old carpeting in her rental property, she found a dark handprint permanently stained on the hardwood floor underneath. The property had been flipped before she bought it, with fresh carpet hiding what lay beneath.
Snyder contacted the previous sale agent to understand what she had uncovered. The agent revealed there had been an “unattended death” on the property during summer with no air conditioning. He warned her that there would likely be a body print underneath the carpet. What they found was even more surprising than expected.
The previous owners had tried to remove most of the damage but left behind clear evidence of decomposition. “They had cut most of the body print out. But left what appears to be the arm and handprint. It definitely wasn’t done professionally and my reaction was actually amusement because they had cut corners – literally,” Snyder said, as per Newsweek. The incomplete cleanup left a haunting reminder of how the deceased had essentially melted into the floor during the hot summer months.
Unattended deaths becoming more common across America
Between 2000 and 2018, deaths occurring at home rose from 22.7 percent to 31.4 percent of all deaths according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While official numbers on unattended home deaths are not tracked, stories of unreported deaths are becoming increasingly common. These range from people discovered after swarms of flies are spotted to heartbreaking cases of pets found waiting with deceased owners.
Snyder believes such incidents will become even more frequent. “They are really common, and I’m afraid they will become more common,” she said. “In this age of technology and social media, people are less connected than they were 20 years ago.” This isolation means more people may die alone and remain undiscovered for extended periods. Her discovery was far more shocking than any of the architectural oddities found in America’s strangest homes.
When Snyder shared her discovery online, the video quickly went viral with 3.4 million views. Comments ranged from people declaring the house haunted to others expressing disbelief that such imprints could remain. “The reaction it got was a little surprising,” she said. “It made me realize that people tend to have a romanticized view of death, or they avoid the subject altogether. Unattended deaths in homes don’t get talked about often, let alone shown on video.” While some homeowners discover strange hidden rooms, Snyder’s find was far more disturbing than any architectural oddity featured on shows about America’s strangest home discoveries.
