The decomposing body of a middle aged woman has been found in an elevator in a residential building in central China, where she remained trapped for a month.

Local police in the Gaoling district of the city of Xi'an found the remains on March 1 -- after the lunar new year's holiday.

The elevator was apparently shut down by maintenance workers on January 30 when it got stuck between two floors.

"The scene was inhumane. We think she starved to death in there," said a local.

"Her hands were distorted... there were scratches on the wall, it was horrible," another one said.

Police, who are dealing with the incident as “involuntary manslaughter,” have arrested and charged the elevator maintenance company and the building's management for “gross neglect.”

The servicemen who cut the elevators electricity claim the action was done after they had shouted to see if anybody was inside.

According to local authorities, the body was not found for so long because most of the residents were on holiday and the remainder were using the complex’s other lift.