A Mother Left in Silence: Son Charged After Weeks-Long Delay in Reporting Death of 70-Year-Old Woman.

A Mother Left in Silence, Son Charged After Weeks-Long Delay in Reporting Death of 70-Year-Old Woman.

A deeply unsettling case out of Bensalem has left a community shaken after authorities charged a man with abuse of a corpse following the death of his 70-year-old mother, Cynthia Bouffard. Police say her son, Derrick Bouffard, 37, failed to report her death for more than a week, allowing her body to remain inside their shared home under distressing conditions.

Officers were called to the residence on Hunter Court in October after a neighbor reported a strong, foul odor coming from the home. When police arrived, Derrick reportedly told them he had been about to call, claiming his mother had stopped breathing that morning. However, what officers discovered inside painted a far more troubling picture.

Cynthia Bouffard was found lying on a mattress in the family room, severely decomposed and weighing just 60 pounds. The coroner later determined she had likely been dead for nearly two weeks. Despite this, investigators say Derrick had continued daily routines, including ordering food multiple times a day and moving throughout the home.

The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office stated that Cynthia died of medical causes and was not deprived of food. Still, the delay in reporting her death has led to criminal charges.

Family members are now grappling with grief and confusion. Cynthia’s daughter described her as a loving, independent woman and former nurse who spent her life caring for others. As the case moves forward, it leaves behind painful questions, heartbreak, and a haunting sense of what went unnoticed for far too long.