34 bodies moved from funeral home by police

[DrJoanAllenby]

This sounds horrendous.

https://news.sky.com/story/man-and-woman-arrested-after-34-bodies-were-moved-by-police-from-funeral-director-13092104?fbclid=IwAR3VpSwxkaCKWvb7U3APBTuMXvq5ZRD-htvvO3VJBPnGQzb6EKD5EobNJ00aemAXCo9AsWsN7prAlQiNwrV8gBXDDnByZQvpSQsusIws3RVyyVhTFVAMWAsEnFe_1bJUk

A man, aged 46, and a woman, aged 23, have been arrested on suspicion of fraud and the prevention of a lawful and decent burial.

Concerns were first raised on Wednesday when police received a report from a member of the public about the storage and management processes relating to the “care of the deceased”.

The funeral home, on Hessle Road, was closed while officers carried out enquiries and a number of bodies were subsequently removed from the site.

In a statement on Sunday afternoon, Humberside Police said that 34 deceased people have now been transported from the funeral home to the Hull mortuary for formal identification to take place.
The suspects have been arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position and remained in police custody on Sunday.
Police cordons remain in place at all three Legacy Independent Funeral Directors: two in Hull and one in Beverley, also in East Yorkshire.

A dedicated phone line was set up on Friday and officers have since received more than 350 phone calls from concerned members of the public.
Officers are working with local councils and the coroner.

Humberside Police also said victim support also has a dedicated telephone line which is available to anyone who is experiencing distress or concern following this report and would like advice and guidance. The number is 0808 16 89 111.

I used to be a funeral arranger and I'm disgusted by this. Mortuary fridges take up a lot of room and I'd be surprised if one branch had enough to hold 34 bodies, so I hate to think how they were storing them. Sounds as though they weren't following correct procedures to keep the deceased identified too, if they're having to take them away for formal identification. Those poor families who are affected.

Sickening

I saw this yesterday but without as much detail.

So were they taking the money for the cremation or burial of the bodies but then not actually doing it?

How awful, whatever has happened.

Wtaf

Doubt it more likely using some form of improper storage.

But why? For what ends? And the report talks of possible fraud.

How would that happen, people turn up for the cremation or burial, how would it not take place?

That’s very true.

But fraud would imply some sort of financial gain wouldn’t it? Maybe i imagined the fraud bit. I didn’t imagine it, I just re read.

@Tulipvase so say you have storage for 5 bodies at £500 a week each. You promise the 6th family you will look after the deceased properly signing a contract to that. But in reality you can't so they are going somewhere inappropriate (multiple in one draw or say a commercial fridge) that's obtaining £500 by fraudulent means.

Ok, but do you pay storage? I don’t remember that being a thing when my parents died.

I must say I don't get this at all.
Maybe they were cramming 4-5 bodies into one freezer designed for one body? Still doing funerals etc like normal but somewhat undignified circumstances?
Or am I naïve? What else would they do with bodies sent to them?

Maybe they were swapping bodies around?

Very strange.

I did wonder if it was possible to bury more than one in a coffin to save crem fees. But surely there's a system of audit paperwork following doctors issue of death confirmation through to cremation or buriel. The system should be able to work out at any one time how many dead bodies are waiting and the post death age of them.

They did say that, doesnt really make sense does it. Unless these are people with no family, the ones that are in hospital and no one claims them?

Yes.

Either a one off fee until cremation or burial or a per diem fee which should be stated up front

https://deighansfunerals.co.uk/funeral-costs/funeral-costs-explained/

I guess it’s just part of the fee for a normal burial/cremation. I don’t suppose you pay more just because it’s a busy period compared to a quiet one?

I wonder if they were a company that offered a cremation service without the ceremony.

I also wonder if I should be wondering at all on a website…..

This is truly despicable.

You do pay for storage, whoever it was we dealt with waived part of our fees because of the easter bank holiday.

Until we know what "this" is, we really can't speculate

They may have closed the doors of the fridges and switched them off to save electricity (hoping they stayed cold enough until it came to switching them on again), they may have left the bodies in unsuitable domestic or commercial food fridges (cheaper to run), left the embalmed without any refrigeration, not done the embalming they were paid for, crammed multiple bodies into each compartment, put the deceased in freezers instead of fridges or traded insolvency

We currently have no idea and we won't know until if or when charges are brought

How sickening to be so disrespectful.

They offer a direct cremation service. I wonder if they hadn’t arranged cremation for those who weren’t having ashes collected.

This is local to me and an acquaintance had her Mum's funeral through them last year. She's distraught at the moment 😢

I'm sorry, I hope she gets some answers

There's a number to call for support if needed. They might be able to let her know if her mum was possibly affected