Illinois suspends funeral home director’s license in body case
More than 50 bodies were found improperly stored and decomposing Thursday at South Chicago Chapel, prompting a hazardous materials response as authorities worked to identify the remains and notify relatives.
Illinois state officials suspended the license of one of the funeral home’s directors, alleging the bodies were being kept in an unrefrigerated area in “deplorable conditions.” Officials also said the owners previously ran a crematory that was shut down after improperly stored bodies were found there.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office said it was notified by state and local officials that bodies were being stored improperly at South Chicago Chapel, and investigators and forensic pathologists were dispatched. The remains were in various states of decomposition, officials said.
“Staff is assessing the conditions of the remains, searching for documentation regarding identification of the decedents as well as death certificates,” the medical examiner’s office said in a statement. “This process could take several days to ensure proper disposition.”
The office said the effort to account for the remains and arrange for their proper handling was expected to take days, with personnel checking the conditions of the bodies and searching for identification documents and death certificates as they work to notify relatives.