A routine cleaning job in Kyoto, Japan, unexpectedly unveiled a decade-old mystery, revealing the hidden remains of a long-missing person beneath piles of trash.

The incident began when a Japanese man, preparing to relocate for a new job, hired a professional cleaning crew to tackle the extensive clutter in his neglected four-bedroom home. The house, heavily cluttered and emitting a foul odor, was what is locally termed a “garbage house”—a description for homes so overwhelmed with refuse that they become breeding grounds for pests and emit strong, unpleasant smells.

The homeowner had been living alone in the house for years. His mother had mysteriously vanished almost a decade earlier, and his father had died shortly after her disappearance. His sister had moved out long before to pursue work elsewhere. The cleaning crew, equipped with eight workers and aiming to complete the job within seven hours, arrived to address the chaotic conditions of the property.

Just three hours into the cleanup, the team made a startling discovery. Beneath layers of old blankets and debris, they uncovered skeletal remains that initially appeared to be a model. The unsettling find was quickly confirmed to be genuine human remains. The crew, shocked and disturbed, alerted the homeowner, who then contacted the police.

Authorities confirmed that the skeletal remains were those of the homeowner’s mother.

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