CORNING, Calif. -- Relatives of a deceased Corning woman cremated her remains on a makeshift barbecue and continued collecting her retirement checks, authorities said.

Ramona Allmond's daughter and grandson were arrested Sunday on suspicion of embezzlement, elder abuse and other charges.

Tehama County sheriff's Capt. Paul Hosler said the 84-year-old Allmond likely had died of natural causes. He said her daughter, 50-year-old Kathleen Allmond, and her grandson, 30-year-old Tony Ray, left the body on her bedroom floor for a week before cremating the remains in a fire pit for 17 hours in the back yard of the family's Edith Avenue home.

Officials said Ramona Allmond's son in Southern California tipped off authorities, who said he hadn't heard from his mother since December.

The son said that Kathleen Allmond and Ray had visited him recently, but couldn't explain why Ramona Allmond wasn't with them.

Sheriff's deputies went to the house on Saturday for a welfare check. Nobody was home, but officials said they did see someone hiding in an orchard near the house.

Officials said as soon as the deputies left, the son received a call from a person claiming to be Ramona Allmond, but he could tell that it was Kathleen Allmond, trying to disguise her voice.

Police said relatives burned the body over the course of 17 hours by stoking the blaze with olive wood.

Detectives said the daughter also fashioned a two-inch piece of her mother's skull into a necklace. She also allegedly posted a picture of herself on myspace.com wearing the necklace.

Police said the family kept collecting the deceased woman's monthly retirement checks, amounting to more than $25,000 since she died in December.

Evidence collected from the barbecue has been sent to Chico State for analysis.

Kathleen Allmond and Ray are being held at the Tehama County Jail on $30,000 bail.