Pregnant New Jersey Woman Can’t Find the Source of Smell, Calls the Cops, Only to Realize Her Neighbor Has Been Dead for Weeks: ‘This is so raw’
Good fences make good neighbors
When it comes to having neighbors, some people are incredibly lucky, while others face quite a bit of misfortune. Unfortunately, for TikTok user @marybabybaby0, it was the latter. And it wasn’t just bad luck, it was downright terrifying, so frightening that the story could easily end up in an episode of a crime podcast or a TV show.
On December 6, 2025, TikTok user @marybabybaby0 posted a video sharing the story of discovering that her neighbor, with whom she rarely interacted, had been lying dead in his house for weeks without anyone noticing or checking on him. The story has caused a lot of discomfort among viewers, with many feeling scared about what happened and others feeling sympathy for the situation.
@marybabybaby0 recalls a horrific neighbor story
Starting her video uploaded on December 6, 2025, @marybabybaby0, who lives in New Jersey, mentions that the incident she discusses happened in April 2023, which she believes coincided with Easter celebrations. She then slightly strays from her main story to provide some background on the person she will talk about in the video.
@marybabybaby0 explains that she lives in a duplex and has seldom interacted with her neighbor, and has seen him only a few times. She also notes that he lives alone. Recalling a previous issue with her neighbor, Mary says that during a particularly chilly winter, she called the police because of a very bad smell coming from his home. Upon inspection, the officers informed her that he had not been flushing his toilet and that his house lacked running water. His sister, who lived nearby, came in to help clean, and eventually, the situation improved.
Regarding the incident she discusses in her video, Mary states that it occurred during Easter weekend, when she was at her sister’s house with her husband. At the time, Mary was nine weeks pregnant, but only she and her husband knew about it. She recalls having a great time but started feeling unwell after a while, so she decided to head home. As she entered her house, she detected a strange, dead-like smell, noting that her sense of smell was heightened due to pregnancy. However, despite her efforts, she couldn’t identify the source.
She initially suspected a gas leak, but when the gas company arrived, they found nothing. Believing the smell might come from her neighbor’s house, the gas company checked her neighbor’s house, opened the house’s gas valve, and a gust of wind carried a strong odor outside. This prompted them to ask Mary if that was the smell she referred to. When she confirmed it, they clarified that it was not gas but something dead that she was smelling. Later, when her husband returned from work, he checked the roof vent on their house and found no issues.
However, when he was inspecting the neighbor’s house, he saw flies circling around it. Concerned, Mary called the police, who arrived sometime later. After she insisted they conduct a welfare check on her neighbor, they returned 20 minutes later, saying they were unable to contact him and that they would call his sister. About 20-30 minutes later, they returned again and informed Mary that her neighbor was dead, and had been for weeks, “at least.”
@marybabybaby0’s story has gained significant traction on TikTok
@marybabybaby0’s story is definitely a crazy one and has naturally drawn a lot of attention from people. Many have shared their personal experiences of going through something similar. User @mick_mack20 wrote, “This is so raw, just two weeks ago I called in a welfare check on my neighbor and the cops didn’t do anything, I had to personally track down the landlord and they got into his apt to find him deceased for three weeks.” User @blue_eco_girl said, “I lived in a 4-plex and I had a neighbor who wouldn’t check his mail wouldn’t even go in his backyard (once a tree limb fell over into his yard and it didn’t move for weeks) I thought he died. He didn’t tho. Just acted very dead idk.”
Many also felt bad for Mary’s neighbour. User @shasama8 wrote, “So, so sad. His sister wasn’t far but never checked in on him? Genuinely sad.” User @lmaoaoaosooo said, “poor guy, he had to be battling something internally for his situation to turn into that. then for him to die and no one in the world thinking to check in on him.”
Some of the reasons you should get the cops involved when it comes to your neighbors
When you encounter a problem with your neighbors, the first step should always be to try resolving it through conversation. However, if that does not work, the obvious next step is to call the police. Here are some situations in which you should call the police on your neighbors, according to Real Property Management Summit. In an article published by the source on March 3, 2023, the circumstances under which one should call the police are as follows:
- Your neighbors threaten you and your rental property.
- Your neighbors regularly enter your property without permission and/or cause damage.
- You feel unsafe due to your neighbors’ hazardous, violent, or other inappropriate actions.
- Your neighbors are involved in criminal activities.
- Late at night, your neighbors cause major disturbances (such as loud music) and refuse to stop when asked.
- You notice smoke or flames coming from the house, hear gunshots, or have other reasons to believe your neighbors may be in danger.
(featured image: TikTok/@ marybabybaby0)
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