Monday August 31, 2009, 11:33 am
Please visit the site to see the video and slide show-note the photos are graphic.

House Demolished After Woman's Body Went Undiscovered for 3 Weeks
Posted: Aug 26, 2009 5:39 PM CDT Updated: Aug 27, 2009 7:07 PM CDT

Kitty Lewis was found dead along with her 30 cats earlier this summer at least three weeks after she had died. Neighbors said they are still concerned that she was able to slip through the system for so long.

Enlarge this picture
Kitty Lewis was found dead along with her 30 cats earlier this summer at least three weeks after she had died. Neighbors said they are still concerned that she was able to slip through the system for so long.
Neighbors said they had complained for years about odor coming from Lewis' home, but the city did little to help her until it was too late.

Enlarge this picture
Neighbors said they had complained for years about odor coming from Lewis' home, but the city did little to help her until it was too late.

By Kirsten McIntyre, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- More than three months after a woman was found dead along with her 30 cats inside her condemned house, neighbors said they are still concerned how Kitty Lewis slipped through the system.

Lewis was found dead in her condemned home earlier this summer at least three weeks after she had died.

Wednesday morning, Lewis' house was torn down, something neighbors said they have been waiting on for quite some time.

Jeff Lytle suited up so he could document the condition of Lewis' home before it was torn down.

"Physically, it was an obstacle course to get through. The ceiling had fallen down through most of the house. There was trash piled up through most of the house," Lytle said.
Tour the Condemned House

Lytle lived across the street from Lewis and is still frustrated the system failed her.

"Put up a notice on the front door that says it's unfit for human habitation and someone continue to live there for 13 years, and it happened time and time again," Lytle said.

Wednesday morning, city contractors demolished Lewis' home. Steve Jones said he drove in from Duncan to make sure his daughter's home next door wasn't damaged in the demolition.

"It was a mess. It really was. I went into the backyard one time to retrieve a ball for my grandson. I ended up walking out. I bought him a new ball," Jones said.

Oklahoma City officials said Lewis' situation was unique. Employees said they had no idea of the condition inside of the home until the City County Health Department showed them.

"Outside of the property certainly didn't reveal any kind of problems that existed on the inside that were so bad," said Charles Locke, Code Enforcement Manager for Oklahoma City.

But neighbors said they complained for years about the odor coming from Lewis' home. A dead rotting possum was found inside in 2004, around the same time Lewis was found lying in a pile of animal and human feces.

"I thank God this house is gone. I pray for Kitty. Hopefully this is the end of the story," Jones said.

Neighbors said their focus will now shift to trying to get something done with the empty lot. Currently, the lot still belongs to the estate of Kitty Lewis.

Representative Danny Morgan said he plans to host a hearing in October on how and why this happened to Lewis.

Neighbors said they plan to use pictures of her home as part of their testimony.

Monday August 31, 2009, 11:41 am
So heartbreaking! Thank you Raffi.

Monday August 31, 2009, 11:57 am
It happens because there is no one in their lives to care enough to check on them. I know,I lived in that situation and wanted to scream because the family would only invite over for special occasions.Now they have had a wake up call and know. Let us pray things get better. We need someone to check on our older people. Thanks,Raffi

Monday August 31, 2009, 1:43 pm
noted with sadness, so disappointed on the human race.....

Monday August 31, 2009, 4:21 pm
So sad. Once again lack of compassion raises its ugly head.

Monday August 31, 2009, 4:31 pm
I'd say it's a great deal more than lack of compassion Penny-it's incompetence and lax officials. In the video you can see that city official who mumbled that there was no indication of anything wrong there because the house looked fine from outside. The neighbors knew it and they are the ones who are going to bring the case for Kitty forward-they are the heroes here!

Monday August 31, 2009, 8:04 pm
i don't think those neighbors are heroes at all. i've known people like this. i give them food and money and i don't take no for an answer. i also tell them, "i know you have alot of animals and your house is probably more like a kennel than a showplace. i don't care and i won't turn you in, so if you're having a hard time keeping up with litter boxes, etc....call me."

Monday August 31, 2009, 9:16 pm
In the end Kitty would have died for nothing if her neighbors did not come forward with their testimonies in her behalf against the authorities. I will be monitoring this story-there needs to be justice for Kitty and her 30 at all costs

When I first saw these pictures I couldn't bare them and now I know they are witness themselves to this-this reminded me of Grey Gardens and Big and Little Edie and their many cats in the Hamptons and the big scandal with the Bouvier family and Jackie O. I never thought I would see anything to compare with that-

Monday August 31, 2009, 9:22 pm
http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2009/05/cat-lady-dies-alone-in-unfit-okla-home.html
She was discovered in May-

'Cat lady' dies alone in 'unfit' Okla. home
Buzz up!
Like this story? Share it with Yahoo! Buzz

Updating at 11:43 a.m. ET with new links to video.

Police checking on Kitty Lewis, a 61-year-old woman known as "the cat lady," found her decomposing body sitting in a chair of a living room in a house deemed unfit for habitation, The Oklahoman reports.

"It was like an assisted suicide with no one doing anything to get her out of there,” neighbor Jeff Lytle tells the paper. Lewis apparently died several weeks ago, the paper says.

The newspaper says the ceilings were exposed, the windows were thick with mold and the floors were covered with cat feces.

The Oklahoman says the Oklahoma City-County Health Department deemed the home unfit for human habitation five years ago because of trash, debris and animal feces throughout the house, but no further action was taken.

Tuesday September 1, 2009, 12:03 am
i can't watch video on this computer, but i read all three articles and didn't see anything about the neighbors coming forward on her behalf against the authorities. and lytle said he called every agency to try to get this "taken care of" not "to help her". i'm sure kitty refused "help" because she could sense their intentions. most likely, they really were interested in helping themselves get rid of the odor. if people see an elderly person with a bunch of animals and no friends or relatives stopping by, just drop off some food or money anonymously. i got one lady to take advantage of a free plumbing/electrical repair program because i convinced her it would benefit her dogs. there are ways to help without rounding up and killing all the cats and sending an elderly woman to a homeless shelter.

Tuesday September 1, 2009, 2:18 am
so sad well done catherine for not walking by and looking the other way

Tuesday September 1, 2009, 2:37 am
This is a dreadful story of neglect.Why on earth was something not done before now?.This poor woman was obviously suffering from a severe mental illness.Dreadful.

Tuesday September 1, 2009, 5:52 am
This is very sad and alas very frequent, whether the elderly person lives with animals or not. Thanks Raffi.

Tuesday September 1, 2009, 5:20 pm
It is too late to help Kitty now I am always shocked about stories like this as Catherine says there were ways good neighbors could have helped over the years .People often just dont care and turn the other way blaming mental health issues instead of day after day of being alone and unloved. This appears to have been going on for years. What happened to the cats???
Lets hope it has made these neighbors more aware and caring for the future

Tuesday September 1, 2009, 7:54 pm
Yet more proof that our society is filled with people who don't give a damn. Is there any humanity left. It is so sad that this woman lived this way and died this way and no one ever cared.
Where are the cats?

Tuesday September 1, 2009, 8:17 pm
The Oklahoman says the Oklahoma City-County Health Department deemed the home unfit for human habitation five years ago because of trash, debris and animal feces throughout the house, but no further action was taken.The Health Department has some "splainin' to do too, you guys-the neighbors are compiling a case for Kitty to be brought to the governor et al as complaint for the incompetent behavior of the city and the county-to my knowledge all of the cats were found dead with her.

I have to tell you this has impacted me greatly and emotionally and I did not know to what degree but I dreamt about Kitty last night and woke up knowing that she has some messages to send. I will keep you updated on this-I believe there is much more that will unfold.