Widower allowed to bury wife at Limburg house

Frenk Windels may keep his deceased wife buried in his backyard for the time being, the Brunssum city council decided on Thursday, 1Limburg reports.

Windels decided to bury the remains of his wife in his own backyard on July 24th, after she suddenly died of a heart attack. According to him, it was her wish. But Windels did so without authorization.

The municipality ordered Windels to exhume the body within six days. The man refused and filed a lawsuit. In August the court ruled that he can keep his wife's body in the garden until the city council decided on whether or not to grant permission.

The majority of the city council on Thursday voted to give Windels a permit to keep his wife in the backyard. This is not the final say in the matter. The municipality still wants to carefully study the matter further.

"It may be that there is a change in the future. Mr. Windels knows that. But for now there is peace, and he can begin with the grieving process", Brunssum mayor Luc Winants said to 1Limburg.