A utilities crew made a grim discovery in the Leslie area of Sumter County, Georgia, on Tuesday, September 22, 2026: a 67-year-old man and his 88-year-old mother lying dead in the yard of their home, where authorities believe they had been for at least a week. The sheriff says the man appeared to have been cutting grass with a push mower when he collapsed, and investigators believe his mother went outside to help him before she, too, collapsed.
The bodies were found Tuesday morning, September 22, in the Leslie area of Sumter County, according to WCTV. As 12 On Your Side reports, the pair had reportedly been in the yard for at least a week before the utilities crew came across them.
Sheriff Describes a Possible Sequence of Events
Sumter County Sheriff Eric Bryant said the 67-year-old man appeared to have been mowing the grass when he collapsed in the yard. Investigators believe his 88-year-old mother may have then gone outside in an attempt to help her son, only to collapse herself, per the same account.
Bryant said there were no signs of foul play at the scene. The sheriff's office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Sumter County Coroner's Office are all now investigating the deaths.
Autopsies Underway as Investigation Continues
Autopsies are underway to determine the exact causes of death for both the mother and son, though results have not yet been released. The multi-agency investigation remains active as officials work to confirm the timeline and circumstances surrounding the pair's deaths.
