One of our local hospitals here in Sacramento, CA, seems to have some major issues coping with deceased patients. I’m not the squeamish type, but this is pretty horrible.
That is bad and far more than what happened where I live by San Diego. There was some news story last year that was close to the same theme. There was also a library book about LA last year that was a similar theme if you can believe it.
I’m surprised it took multiple years before people started suing the hospital. I know the article says the hospital staff never reached out to families, but that (based on nothing more than inferences I’ve made based on the article) the families never sued the hospital or asked the local news outlets for help makes me wonder if at least some of these bodies didn’t have families looking for them.
Also, this struck me as odd:
CDPH was also aware of issues with patient family notifications as far back as 2022, the document read, stating the hospital submitted an action plan to the state in April 2022 indicating plans to educate staff about timely notification of death to family. The document says in July 2023, another plan was submitted by the hospital to educate staff about the “steps to take after the death of a patient to ensure dignity and respect.”
So they’ve known that they don’t do a good job of notifying families after a death for almost (or at least) 3 years and they only action they’ve taken is to come up with a plan of action. No one ever though to implement it?
Also, the author puts the word ‘missing’ in quotes. I assume they’re quoting the report they read as opposed to them being scare quotes to imply the bodies aren’t missing, the hospital just isn’t telling them what’s going on (note, I’m in the middle of a documentary about body parts trafficking, so there’s some bias there).
On the other hand, perhaps the story here is that a lot of people die alone in the world and tracking down kin is an expensive and potentially fruitless exercise. I’m not sure I want hospitals to take on that task.
We have problems over here too:
‘truly horrific’ investigation into Hull funeral directors as 35 bodies removed from premises
Humberside Police have offered their deepest sympathies to families affected by the investigation, which the force described as ‘complex and sensitive’ - as 35 bodies and ‘human ashes’ are removed from premises
A man and woman have today been arrested in connection to the ongoing investigation into scandal-hit Legacy Funeral Directors in Hull.
The woman, 54, was arrested on suspicion of money laundering is currently in police custody being questioned by detectives. A 46-year-old man who was on bail following his arrest in March, on suspicion of prevention of a lawful burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position in connection to the investigation, has also been arrested today on suspicion of theft, making or supplying articles for use in frauds and offences under the Financial Services Act as part of the pre-planned operation. He remains in police custody.
A 23-year-old woman who was previously arrested in March on suspicion of prevention of a lawful burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position, remains on police bail.
Legacy Funeral Directors: Man and woman arrested in major update on scandal-hit firm - Mirror Online
It’s very possibly I’m still half asleep, but I’m not seeing what they actually did. At least not beyond the charges. I skimmed through some other articles as well, going all the way back to when it happened, but I’m only ever seeing the charges listed. I’m not finding a way to connect not burying bodies to money laundering.
They charged relatives for cremations and burials, but in at least 35 cases, the bodies were stored (inadequately) and in other cases, people were given ashes from the wrong bodies.
We have yet to hear what they will actually be charged with - all so far is speculation:
The firm has been under investigation since officers recovered 35 bodies, as well as suspected human ashes, at its site in Hessle Road last year. Humberside Police said they have now submitted a file of more than 13,000 exhibits to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision “following a meticulous 10-month investigation”.