Man with 800-Year-Old Mummy in Bag — Whom He Called Juanita, His 'Spiritual Girlfriend' — Detained in Peru
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A former food delivery driver has been detained in Peru after police learned he was in possession of a mummified human — which could be 600 to 800 years old.
Police found the mummified remains Saturday afternoon after they encountered three men who were drinking at an old park in the city of Puno, according to CNN.
One of the men — identified by police as 26-year-old Julio Cesar Bermejo — was in possession of a cooler delivery bag, which had the human remains inside, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
The man allegedly took the mummy from his home to show off to his friends, according to AFP and NBC News.
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Bermejo reportedly told local media that he called the mummy "Juanita" and described her as his "spiritual girlfriend." However, officials say the remains actually belong to an approximately 45-year-old man.
The ex-delivery driver claimed his dad brought the corpse home nearly three decades ago, per AFP's report. He said he would even sleep with the corpse in his bedroom.
Photos of the scene show the mummy sitting in the red bag labeled "Pedidos Ya", which is a food delivery app used in Latin America, according to NBC News.
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Police have turned over the mummy to Peru's Ministry of Culture, according to the BBC.
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Meanwhile, Bermejo is being detained while officials investigate the case, per the report. His two friends have been detained as well.
The Ministry of Culture is now reportedly in possession of the mummy, which is believed to be the remains of a man "presumably from the eastern area of Puno," AFP reported.
According to CNN, the ministry has deemed the mummy a national cultural asset.
