Police: Enfield woman kept mother's body around to 'see stages of death'

Hudgins' 69-year-old daughter, Donna Sue Hudgins, who lived with her, didn't tell anyone she had died and kept the body inside their house.

Kenny Velasquez, who is separated from Nellie Hudgins' granddaughter, said that family members had tried to see Nellie Hudgins but that Donna Hudgins made excuses.

“Every time somebody would stop by, she would meet us at the door, say she’s asleep or something like that,” Velasquez said. “Apparently every time someone would call, same thing.”

Enfield police say Donna Hudgins went to a funeral home, saying her mother had died but she didn't know where EMS had taken the body.

Authorities got involved and discovered Nellie Hudgins’ body, badly decomposed, in the family's home.

Authorities said the body had been in the home for several months.

Some neighbors, like Edna Burgess, said Tuesday that there were warning signs.

Burgess said her daughter had smelled an odor outside.

“I still didn’t pay it no mind,” she said. “I thought maybe it was a sewer or something.”

Donna Hudgins was charged with felony concealment of death and given a $5,000 bond on Tuesday.

Jail officials said Hudgins was no longer in custody. She is due in court on Nov. 7.

Nobody answered knocks on her door on Tuesday.

Police say Hudgins said she kept her mother’s body because she wanted to see the stages of death.

Velasquez said he hopes Hudgins receives mental health treatment.

Nellie Hudgins was 93. Police did not say how she died.