When realtor Nikki Snyder began renovating one of her rental properties, she didn’t expect to uncover a chilling reminder of its past. Beneath the carpet, Snyder found a plywood patch and dark stains she says marked the spot where the previous homeowner had died and decomposed.
Featured VideoShe shared the discovery on TikTok on July 17, 2025, where it racked up over 3.5 million views. The floor had a piece of plywood inlaid where Snyder said, “the previous owner melted into the floor” and “they cut him out.” She pointed out two stains left behind by the cleanup crew where the deceased’s hand and arm had been at the time of death.
Snyder discovered the stain while renovating the rental property and replacing a carpet between tenants.
Advertisement“I contacted the agent who’d handled the sale previously, and he let me know that there had been an ‘unattended death’ on the property in the middle of the summer with no air conditioning,” Snyder told Newsweek. “He said there would likely be a significant body print underneath the carpet.”
Commenters reacted in shock and confronted the gruesome reality of unattended death. Social media users expressed fears about the unknown histories of their own homes. Others shared morbid details (and exorbitant biohazard cleanup fees) from the traumatic aftermath of finding deceased loved ones who died unattended at home.
@snyderrealestategroup_ia ♬ Oh my God. – Quinny👍
“They cut him out but forgot his arm and handprint.”
@bigcheddartheassge kept it light and asked, “OK but how cheap was the house?” “$99,000!” Snyder replied.
Advertisement“Past owner passed away and what they what but WHAT AND WHAT?”
“Technically the crime scene clean up crew should get into trouble. All biohazard material is supposed to be removed. That’s literally a health hazard on top of just being disturbing.”
Advertisement“I had to redo the bathroom floor recently and found where someone died on the linoleum and the landlord just covered it in tile. 😑”
“My grandma was in her bed for a week in 90-degree weather. Melted right through the bed. I was cleaning it up for a month. 😳”
Advertisement“The clean up I had to have done was $11,000. And it was not so involved that they had to remove the subfloor…”
Unreported, accidental deaths at home are on the rise, especially among the elderly (call your grandmother)
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of deaths occurring at home rose 22.7 percent to 31.4 percent between 2000 and 2018. A significant share of these deaths is attributed to unintended falls among elderly people living alone. Unintentional fall death rates among older adults increased for both men and women from 2003 to 2023.
AdvertisementIn a comment to Newsweek, Snyder blamed the increase in unreported accidental deaths at home on social isolation brought on by technology and social media. The realtor said she fears unattended deaths at home will become more common. She pointed out, “In this age of technology and social media, people are less connected than they were 20 years ago.”
Nikki Snyder did not immediately reply to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via TikTok.
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