Beritasatu, Jakarta – Four members of a family aged between 42 and 71 were found dead inside their locked home in Citra Garden housing complex, West Jakarta on Thursday night, with police suspecting that they might have starved.

Neighbors who broke into the house due to the smell of rotting flesh for days discovered the decomposed bodies of two men and two women and reported the horrific finding to the police.

Preliminary police investigation at the scene found no suspected foul play and autopsy results indicated that the four victims hadn't eaten anything for days before their deaths, West Jakarta Metropolitan Police Chief Pasma Royce told reporters on Friday.

"There is no food in the stomach of those bodies and examination by doctors indicated that they hadn't eaten or drunk anything for a quite long period because their [stomach] muscles have shrunk," Pasma said.

He said the four victims were estimated to have died around three weeks before their bodies were discovered.

Pasma added that there were no signs of fatal injuries or wounds from a violent attack in the bodies. He said the date of each death was likely different due to varying degrees of decomposition.

The four bodies were identified by their initials including RY, 71, his wife RN, 68, their daughter DF, 42, and their in-law BG, 69.

Starvation is a rare cause of death, especially in a big city like Jakarta. The home is protected with a high iron fence and is located at an upscale housing complex.

"The Police Hospital is still working on the bodies by examining levers and other organs to get more specific knowledge about the cause of the death," Pasma said.

The four bodies were found separately in the living room, the bedroom, and the dining room. Investigators seized ID cards and cellular phones allegedly belonging to the deceased and interrogated several witnesses.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/four-members-of-family-found-dead-from-suspected-starvation-in-jakarta