N.Y. Woman's Decomposing Body Found in Apartment with Other Family Member Living Inside: Police

On Wednesday, the corpse of Cynthia Jones, 68, was found on the living room floor of the North Corona, Queens residence, police tell PEOPLE

Crime scene tape
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A woman's decomposing body was discovered inside a New York City apartment.

On Wednesday, the corpse of Cynthia Jones, 68, was found on the living room floor of the North Corona, Queens residence, police tell PEOPLE.

Authorities were called to the apartment after the building's super was unable to gain access into the unit. The super was originally checking in on the apartment after a tenant called the super, complaining about a leak coming into her apartment from Jones' unit above, NBC New York reported.

"I tried to go upstairs to look at the leak, but she was not opening. I tried a couple times," the super said of Jones, according to NBC. He then dialed 911 for assistance.

Police tell PEOPLE they responded to the call around 6:30 p.m. When they arrived, Jones' was found unconscious and unresponsive. EMS pronounced her dead at the scene. In addition to discovering Jones, police said a 45-year-old female family member was alive, inside the apartment. She was taken to NYC Health & Hospitals/Elmhurst for treatment and evaluation.

According to PIX11, the woman claimed to be Jones' daughter and allegedly said her "mother" had died of natural causes.

The incident proved to be quite harrowing for neighbors.

One tenant told The New York Daily News that Jones had lived in the building for decades — where she had raised two daughters, one of whom later moved to North Carolina.

"She was here the longest," the tenant. "She was here before I moved in, and I've been here 45 years." The neighbor added, "My heart goes out to them because that could have been me. I could have had a heart attack and died by myself. My heart hurts for her."

Jones' time and cause of death have not yet been determined. At this time, it is not immediately clear if police suspect foul play.

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