Parents picking their children up from a Soundview school Friday were met with a disturbing sight nearby: a dead body that had been inside a vehicle.

Police discovered the deceased man inside a minivan at Ward Avenue and East 172nd Street after a woman placed a 911 call earlier in the day about the man not moving.

The vehicle had been parked in the spot for more than a week, according to witnesses. The owner of a nearby business says surveillance video shows that the vehicle had been parked in the same spot since March 22 and that the vehicle was being ticketed. 

The owner described the deceased man as a nice person and a frequent customer.

The body appears to have been in the backseat of the minivan.

The man's identity hasn't been released. Police say the medical examiner will determine the cause of death.