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Florida woman hid dead mother in freezer to continue receiving her disability benefits, police say

SEBASTIAN, Fla. — Police in Sebastian said they arrested a woman after her mother was found dead inside of a freezer.

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Officers arrested Michele Hoskins, 64, of Sebastian on Thursday on charges of failing to report the death of her mother, Marie Hoskins, and tampering with evidence.

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Police said they found 93-year-old, Marie Hoskins, on April 28 dead inside a chest freezer during a welfare check on Paddock Street.

Police said Michele Hoskins confessed to hiding her mother in a deep freezer to hide her death so she could continue to receive her disability benefits.

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Michele Hoskins told police that her mother died in her sleep and a heavily soiled bed mattress was found hidden in thick brush and covered by cut palm tree branches in the backyard.

Investigators said Marie Hoskins’ body was in the deep freezer around two weeks.

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Hoskins was taken to the Indian River County Jail with a $10,000 bond.

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