A body was found wrapped in a sleeping bag on a New York City sidewalk. The discovery was made after a 911 call about a suspicious package in Manhattan’s East Side neighborhood of Kips Bay. The person was pronounced dead by EMS who responded to the location. The body was found on a dolly, surrounded by black trash bags tied to a scaffolding railing.
A witness, Ted Oehmke, captured a video of the scene and mentioned seeing a BMW SUV parked near where the body was found the night before. He expressed his surprise at the discovery and the effort it would have taken to leave the body on the sidewalk.
The cause of death is unknown, and the body has not been publicly identified by the police. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. The body was found outside a now-closed alterations store called “Apel’s Alterations.”
Oehmke, a resident of the neighborhood for 30 years, mentioned that the area is known for people sleeping rough. He noted that the Bellevue ‘psych’ hospital and the largest men’s shelter in the city are located nearby, contributing to the activity in the area.
No arrests have been made in connection with the incident, and the investigation is ongoing according to the police. The shocking discovery has left residents of the neighborhood surprised, considering the regular sightings of people sleeping rough in the area. The presence of nearby facilities catering to mental health and homelessness adds to the complexity of the situation.
