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A Pennsylvania man is facing charges after allegedly delaying a call to police regarding his mother’s death, despite claiming he was “just about to call” them. Authorities later found the woman’s severely decomposed body in his home.
Derrick Bouffard, 37, has been charged with abuse of a corpse following the discovery of his 70-year-old mother, Cynthia Bouffard, according to an affidavit of probable cause shared with Oxygen. Her body was found in “plain view” on a mattress in the center of the family room.
Police Discover Cynthia Bouffard’s Decomposing Body
Bensalem Police arrived at the family’s Bucks County residence around 3 p.m. on October 25 for a wellness check. This was prompted by public works employees who were trying to maintain the property’s overgrown lawn. They had knocked on the door without receiving a response and noticed a previously open back door was now shut, according to court documents.
When officers knocked, Derrick reportedly came out and told them, “I was just about to call you guys,” explaining that his mother had stopped breathing that morning.
However, upon entering the premises, officers discovered Cynthia’s body on a mattress in the townhome’s family room. A coroner later determined that she had likely been deceased for nearly two weeks, as stated in the affidavit.
The body appeared “skeleton-like” to a detective who arrived on scene shortly after the discovery—and the smell of decomposing flesh was, according to authorities, “very strong.”
“There was almost no flesh on her bones, and her eyes were barely visible,” investigators noted in the probable cause affidavit. “Her body was so frail and emaciated that it’s estimated she weighed no more than 50 or 60 pounds. There were flying insects all over her body that emerged as soon as he lifted the blanket that was covering her, which had been covering her when officers first discovered the body.”
Investigators also said the home was in “complete disarray” with fans set up throughout the house and baking soda poured on items, including a couch, in a suspected attempt to alleviate the odor.
There was also little food inside the refrigerator, per the affidavit, and only “spoiled food” inside a freezer that was “loaded with insects.”
Detectives reached out to Cynthia’s brother—who had not seen his sister since Sept. 23—and were told that Derrick had been his mother’s primary caregiver as she “suffered from severe advanced dementia” and was unable to care for herself.
Investigators wrote in the affidavit, “Cynthia could not walk, she could not talk, and she could chew solid food.”
Police Describe Google Searches, Food Delivery Records
During a review of Derrick’s phone, investigators allegedly found recent Google searches for “Bensalem probate court,” “when to notify bank of deceased” and “number to report elder death,” per the probable cause affidavit.
He’d also allegedly searched “if your loved one dies at home, you need to immediately contact the local emergency officials to come and take them to a hospital where they can be legally declared dead.”
Investigators noted in the affidavit that they discovered Uber Eats records, dating back for weeks, that suggested that Derrick had been repeatedly walking by his mother’s body as he went to pick up the food deliveries from the porch.
The affidavit also referenced a recorded call from the Bucks County jail in which Derrick’s sister asked him if their mother “did sit for a while or do you not want to talk about it.” Derrick allegedly replied, “yeah, like a couple days,” authorities said.
Cynthia Bouffard’s Daughter Speaks Out
Derrick’s sister—identified by WPVI as Carrie Acevedo—told the news station she is battling conflicting emotions after her brother’s arrest.
“I know my mom loves my brother very much,” she said. “I don’t want to feel hate for my brother.”
Carrie, who lived out of state, added that her brother had become the primary caregiver because he’d lived with his mother, who had once been a nurse, for years.
“It feels like a movie,” she continued. “It doesn’t feel like it’s real life. I feel regret for not being there, for not doing more.”
Derrick is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on the charge against him April 8, People reported. It’s unclear whether he has retained an attorney.