Woman's body found wrapped in blanket on Brooklyn sidewalk

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn (WABC) -- An unidentified woman was discovered dead, wrapped in a blanket, on a Brooklyn sidewalk early Thursday, and police are questioning a person believed to be her grandson.

Authorities say the victim, in her 60s, was found by a cab driver on Union Street near Troy Avenue just after 1:45 a.m.

"They kind of figured it was something strange," area resident Kevin Labissiere said. "It was laying there covered, and I guess they saw that her feet were sticking out."

She had trauma to her body, and police say a 35-pound dumbbell with blood on it was discovered outside the man in custody's window.

Her identity was not immediately known, and the cause of death will be determined by an autopsy.

"She's a nice, quiet lady," neighbor Michael Meggison said. "She just stayed to herself and just come in from work, go and come."

The 32-year-old person of interest reportedly has a psychiatric history and 14 prior arrests, half of them for assaults.

"Demons, whatever you want to call it, the guy was really misconstrued," neighbor Patrick Legagneur said. "He was on and off his medications."

Police followed the blood trail to the third floor, to the apartment of the person of interest. Police say the man barricaded himself for hours before ESU cut a hole in the door to get him just after 6:30 a.m.

"It's sad, you know," Labissiere said. "No old lady needs to be dragged out from her apartment and put next to the garbage like that."

In 2009, police reportedly used a taser on him after he had a psychiatric episode. Then, in January 2010 and June 2013, authorities say he failed to take his medication and was treated at Kings County Hospital.