German woman nabbed driving corpse across country

BERLIN, Apr 25 (Reuters) A 53-year-old German woman who was driving her dead mother across country to save on mortuary transportation costs was fined by police for disturbing a dead person's peace.

''You're not allowed to transport dead people in your private car,'' said Ralf Schomisch, police spokesman in Koblenz, where the car was found after a tip-off from a mortuary.

''The corpse was on the back seat without a seat belt, which in this case didn't really matter. But it was covered up with clothing. It is a misdemeanour.'' He said the woman, who was not identified, was charged with violating burial laws and disturbing a dead person's peace. She would face a modest fine, Schomisch said.

The woman had already driven 450 km after picking up the body from a mortuary in the northern city of Bremerhaven. She wanted to bury her mother, who died of natural causes aged 90, in her hometown Daun.

REUTERS SI KP1058