Corpse found in flooded Colorado apartment complex; residents forced to leave

THORNTON, Colo. — Police found the dead body of a View Point Condominiums resident not long after a neighbor complained of flooding underneath his baby's crib.

The neighbor didn't realize that water had been contaminated with a corpse, which some neighbors believe was there for weeks — potentially up to a month. 

George DeVote, a concerned neighbor, said he's concerned for the safety and health of the residents of the Thornton complex after police found the dead body in the unit across the hall. 

"They basically gave us 20 minutes to pack what we (could) and leave and threw our stuff out on the street," DeVote said. 

Police entered the unit after one of two people living in the apartment returned from a trip only to find his roommate under three inches of water in the apartment. 

"We, as tenants, had seen them and we used to hear them fight and argue, and then we just stopped hearing the other guy and that had been about a month to six weeks," Devote said.

Officers who spoke to Denver7 say they believe the man died of natural causes, also saying they believe he hadn't been there as long as some residents fear. 

Police say they believe the roommate died while his friend was out of town with the water running. They say he likely died, then the apartment flooded.

Now, the apartment complex has turned to the safety of its residents, cleaning the apartment and removing anything potentially contaminated.

"I want my stuff, we have stuff in there and basically all we have are the clothes on our back, that's what they told us to leave with," DeVote said. "I'm more worried about my kids...and if this is a serious situation where their health is involved." 

Denver7 has reached out to the coroner's office, but we have not yet heard back. 

The Home Owner's Association also declined to comment on the story.