People claiming to be relatives of the woman dubbed ‘loneliness personified’ who was found mummified sitting at her kitchen table two years after her death have come forward and could inherit all her wealth.

The Italian police have stated that a number of individuals residing in the Emilia-Romagna region have contacted the police claiming to be cousins of the 70-year-old woman. The police are verifying the claims.

The mummified corpse of Marinella Beretta was found in the district of Prestino in the city of Como in the north-western Italian region of Lombardy. It is currently unclear how her corpse became mummified, which is a rare but not impossible occurrence.

The mummified remains were reportedly found by the police still seated at the kitchen table.

Marinella, who hailed from the nearby municipality of Erba, was believed at the time of the discovery of her body to have had no living relatives.

She had sold her house, but had continued to live there under a usufruct agreement.

The new owner, an unnamed Swiss man, alerted the authorities after neighbours told him that the trees in the garden were in a poor state.

The house belongs to him, but all other assets owned by the deceased woman could be inherited by the people claiming to be her cousins if their claims are confirmed.

When police went to the property to investigate, they discovered the woman’s remains inside.

They said at the time of the discovery that the preliminary hypothesis was that she had died alone, with the death probably having taken place at the end of 2019, according to Italian media reports.

The most likely cause of death is that she had an illness and was not even able to ask for help or get up from the chair in which her remains were found.

It is not clear how her body came to be mummified, but natural mummification, although rare, can happen in situations of extreme cold, aridity or a lack of oxygen.

Elena Bonetti, 47, the Italian Minister for Family and Equal Opportunities, said after the body was discovered: “What happened to Ms Marinella Beretta in Como, the forgotten loneliness, hurts consciences. Remembering her life is the duty of a community that wants to stick together.

“We need to not limit our horizons to the private and go back to healing the ties between ourselves. Taking care of each other is the experience of families, institutions, and our citizens: no one should be left alone.”

After a photograph of the deceased was broadcast on Italian television, her “cousins” reportedly recognised her and called the authorities, telling them that they had not heard from her for years and had had no contact of any kind.

The police are investigating their claims to see if they are true.

The Mayor of Como, Mario Landriscina, 67, has invited all locals to attend Marinella’s funeral, the date of which is yet to be announced, to ensure that she is not alone on her final voyage.