The couple had just moved to their new home a few months ago before their only child found their lifeless bodies.
An 11-year-old girl made one of the most devastating discoveries that a young child could ever make after finding both her parents dead in their bed on February 18.
Before the little girl set eyes on the heartbreaking sight, her parents were reportedly quarantining together after testing positive for COVID-19. Both in their 40s, the couple were staying in their home's basement, and neighbors say that they had only moved to the neighborhood in Mehlville, St. Louis not too long ago in August 2020.
According to the Daily Mail, the couple was identified as Gregory and Erika Greenman based on social media posts from loved ones.
"It’s really a terrible, tragic thing," said neighbor Chuck Duy, according to News Channel 8. "Supposedly she had gone to the hospital. They thought she had a stroke, but I guess it was due to Covid."
After speaking to a member of the couple's family, Chuck said about the wife, "She tested positive, but they sent her home and then her husband meanwhile was home with a positive test for COVID, so they both were quarantined downstairs in their bedroom in their basement."
11-year-old girl finds parents dead from COVID-19 inside home https://t.co/xNvtdsTaHD
— News 4 San Antonio (@News4SA) February 28, 2021
Around 10:30 am, the police were called to the family's home "for a report of a sudden death".
"Officers observed no sign of foul play in the residence," a spokesperson for the St. Louis County police department told People. "Both individuals had been quarantined due to testing positive for COVID-19 and both were experiencing symptoms per the family. We have no reason to believe their deaths were caused by anything other than COVID-19 at this time."
Despite only a few months having passed since the family moved to the new home in Mehlville, the couple had made quite an impression on some of the neighbors in a short span of time. "Last year at Christmas time they came down to our door and gave us cookies. They were just the nicest people. We are praying for the girl and their family," Chuck said, according to the Daily Mail.
Girl, 11, returns home to find both her parents dead from COVID after they went into their basement to quarantine https://t.co/DKh2brtbYf
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) February 27, 2021
Talking about the couple's only child, who had to stumble upon the sight of her parents' lifeless bodies, Chuck added, as quoted by ABC 7 Chicago, "To lose both parents at one time you know for an 11-year-old, it's really tragic. We're praying for them, they were the nice people. We're so happy they moved into the neighborhood."
Following the news of their death, a woman who identified herself as Erika's sister, Anne Nance Bulliner, wrote on Facebook, as quoted by the Daily Mail, "Please pray for my family. We lost my baby sister and her husband today. Such a sad day! I am gonna miss you soooo much. I love you!!"
"It doesn’t make sense why God would allow this horrible virus take you both on the same day," wrote the couple's friend, Erica Goodwin. "It doesn’t make sense why your beautiful baby girl lost both of her loving parents, why one of my closest friends lost her dear sister, or why our Firm lost two exceptional employees and friends. Our hearts are broken. Rest In Peace dear friends."
Another relative, Michael Nance shared on social media, "Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers as we are mourning the loss of my Aunt Erika Nance Greenman and her husband Scott Greenman. Love while you can because life is so uncertain!"
References:
https://www.wfla.com/community/health/coronavirus/covid-19-heartbreak-11-year-old-finds-parents-dead/
https://abc7chicago.com/girl-finds-parents-dead-in-bed-girls-from-covid-19-mom-and-dad/10375741/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9306375/Missouri-girl-11-finds-parents-dead-COVID-19-quarantined.html
Cover image source: Representational Image (Source: Getty Images | Westend61)