Police recovered the body of 66-year-old Beverly Mitchell from the basement of her home in Cheshire, Conn. Saturday. Police believe Mitchell, an apparent hoarder, to have died when the first floor of her house collapsed from the weight of clutter that was stacked to the ceiling.

The police received a request for a welfare check for Mitchell from her mailman after her mail had gone uncollected for more than a week. Because of the amount of debris and items in the home, police had to cut a hole in the side of the house and use a backhoe to clear away wreckage.

Authorities first checked on Mitchell last Thursday, when they believed that she just wasn't home. On Friday, they learned of the first floor's collapse. It took them until Saturday to find her body amongst the refuse, the Cheshire Citizen reports.

According to the Associated Press, police had been forced to make welfare checks on Mitchell many times before.

"It's unfortunate because...we've tried all along to get her assistance, but she was a very private and solitary lady," Police Sgt. Kevin O'Donnell told the Associated Press.

[Image via Shutterstock]