Dead Woman, Malnourished Pets Found Inside Delco Home

MARPLE TOWNSHIP, PA — A deceased woman, two dead dogs and several malnourished pets were found during a well-being check Saturday inside a Marple Township home, according to police and animal-rescue personnel.

At 3:30 p.m., police were dispatched to a house on West Chester Pike to check on a 67-year-old resident. The mail hadn't been collected for several days, and the resident's vehicle was parked in the driveway.

The house was locked, and police couldn't make contact with the woman, who lived alone. Since no known relatives were in the area, police and firefighters forced entry.

Inside, they discovered the woman had died. Several malnourished dogs and cats were also found.

Two dogs were dead. But 17 dogs and two cats are receiving veterinary care, according to Mighty Pawz, an organization that helped rescue them at the scene.

It's unclear how or when the woman died. The Delaware County Medical Examiner's Office will investigate her cause of death and help police identify family to notify.

Her name was not released publicly.