MARINETTE, WI (WTAQ) – A Marinette County woman who did not report the death of her mother was charged Monday.
60-year-old Paula Bergold is facing a felony charge of hiding a corpse and is charged with failing to report a death and obstruction.
According to the report 89-year-old Ruby Bergold was reported missing since May.
Police arrived at Ruby Bergold’s Town of Peshtigo home on Sept. 13 and found notes taped to the window stating “Ruby has gone out of town to visit some friends of ours.
Paula let police in. They were unable to locate Ruby, but noticed several things of concern, including unopened mail, and a box of Borax.
The woman allegedly kept the news of her mother’s death a secret for up to four months in order to live off of her income.
Marinette County Sheriff’s Department located the body of 89-year-old in a tub covered in plastic.
According to the criminal complaint, Bergold found her mother dead and never called the police.
She said she was concerned that her mother’s death would change her financial situation so she covered up the smell and never reported it.
According to the criminal complaint:
Paula had told them that she had found Ruby Bergold dead in the chair upstairs. This would be the chair the deputies found covered in Borax. Paula said she wanted to call the police when she found Ruby, but just couldn’t bring herself to do it. She kept thinking she would call tomorrow but never did. When her mother’s body began to smell, Paula decided to get the container from the basement. She placed Ruby’s body inside and dragged it down to the basement and placed it where it was found. Paula said she put Borax on the chair and on her mother’s body due to the bad smell.
The detectives asked Paula about her mother’s finances and how Paula receives money. Paula said that she has been living off of her mother’s income, which was (Social Security), stocks, and dividends from her father’s retirement. Paula said that her father set up a trust for all the money and residences, and it was in the bank’s hands. Paula said that she was concerned about the money, and that played into her decision to not report her mother’s death.
Bergold is being held on a $10,000 dollar cash bond and was in court Monday. She will be back in court on October 7.
The cause of Bergold’s death is not yet known.
