Woman's body found wrapped in plastic inside trash can in Frankford

Maggie Kent Image
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Woman's body found inside trash can in Frankford
Woman's body found inside trash can in Frankford. Watch the report from Maggie Kent on Action News at 5 p.m. on May 29, 2019.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police said the body of a woman was found inside a trash can in the Frankford section of the city Wednesday morning.

According to officials, a Republic Service Trash driver discovered the body, which was wrapped in plastic, around 6 a.m. on the 4600 block of Leiper Street.

A co-worker of the driver, Hayes Johnson, has been on the job for nine years. He said he has never experienced anything like this.

"I'm calling it a day myself," Johnson said.

Body found in trash can in Frankford: as seen on Action News at Noon, May 29, 2019

The trash can was sitting on a relatively quiet block, with an empty lot on one side next to an abandoned church, a park on the other.

Lisa Handy works to keep Overington Park clean.

"It was like, 'Ah, oh great, another dead body,'" said Handy. "It wasn't as much shock as I'd like to have had."

Handy says she's seen how drugs and violence have changed her neighborhood.

"We've got a lack of respect for human life," she said.

The discovery has launched a criminal investigation.

The victim is described as a black female. There is no word on her age.

Neighbors were saddened by the idea that a person would just be left out with the trash.

"With no conscious at all, that's horrible, I just can't wrap my mind around it," said Jasmine Miller.

The trash truck was removed just before 11 a.m.

Hayes Johnson and his co-worker ended their shift after what they saw.

"I'm pulling him off the road. I'm calling it a day myself too," said Johnson.

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