Against an initial estimate of about 115, the remains of at least 189 persons have been removed from a Colorado funeral home, following a discovery of decaying and improperly stored bodies, two weeks ago
Officials disclosed this on Tuesday.
The remains were found by authorities responding to a report of an “abhorrent smell” inside a decrepit building at the Return to Nature Funeral Home in the small town of Penrose, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Denver.
Authorities entered the funeral home’s neglected building with a search warrant in October 4, and found the decomposing bodies.
The officials said the remains were removed from the site as of Oct. 13, but the numbers were likely to change, as the identification process continues, adding that families who did business with the funeral home, are concerned about what happened to their deceased loved ones.
Local officials have however said they will start to notify family members in the coming days as the remains are identified.
Fremont County Coroner Randy Keller said he wanted to provide accurate information to families “to prevent further victimization as they continue to grieve.”
Officials have not disclosed further details of what was found inside the funeral home, but Fremont Sheriff Allen Cooper described the scene as horrific.
According to reports, the owners of the Return to Nature Funeral Home had missed tax payments in recent months, hence were evicted from one of their properties and sued for unpaid bills by a crematory that quit doing business with them almost a year ago.
Source: AP/ NIM