Wild that it took literal corpse abuse scandals to get basic regulations. Minimum suggestion: states should have an easy searchable database of licensed funeral homes and inspection reports, like restaurant health scores.
175
_Remarkable-Universe1 day ago
+64
We are a reactive country, not a proactive one, unfortunately. We never ever do anything for the benefit of others before something like this occurs. Only very begrudgingly after the fact.
64
Xivvx1 day ago
+28
Sometimes not even then.
28
Wingnutmcmoo1 day ago
+9
The best example of this is how we handle fire safety compared to a number of other countries. We rely on sprinkler systems where we other countries rely on even safer electrical systems (safer in terms of preventing more wall fires) and things like fire doors stopping spread.
9
Lowjack_2616 hr ago
+2
What the heck are you talking about? The NEC (used in the US and Canada) is almost entirely equitable to IEC when it comes to standards for fire prevention.
2
Express-Citron-63871 day ago
+3
I didn't know this. The food is so much better in Europe as they have strict regulations about chemicals, etc.
3
Shiftkgb1 day ago
+20
Every state in the US has funeral licensing except Colorado.
As for inspection reports, most states post citations on their website for anyone to see.
Though, I don't think the public would even know what to look for as it's not a restaurant.
A lot of violations are really minor things like cabinet items being stored incorrectly or more legal things like paperwork stuff. When it comes to bodies it's really straight forward, illegal or legal care. At every place I've worked we'd have a few dozen bodies in the coolers waiting for cremation/prep and anywhere from 2-10 already embalmed bodies in the prep room. Half of them would just be under a sheet with plastic over their faces to keep moisture in.
People have completely recused themselves in our culture of dealing with death and so it's outsourced to businesses. And for what it's worth that business is pretty heavily regulated as it is.
20
mhornberger1 day ago
+10
> People have completely recused themselves in our culture of dealing with death and so it's outsourced to businesses.
Well with so many regulations on handling and disposal of remains, who can really legally DIY? Are there even places in the US where you can just say a few words over grandpa and (legally) just put him in a hole in the back yard?
10
Shiftkgb1 day ago
+11
I mean the system is what it is. A lot of local burials were made illegal early on because people believed that dead bodies gave off "miasma" which caused disease. So you usually now need a permit (BTP - burial transit permit) to bury/cremate someone.
But otherwise you can still transfer the dead yourself if you'd like and care for the body/host the funeral themselves. But again, most people can't, don't, or won't. Plus, moving bodies sucks ass and I know cause I've moved thousands of them. Without a van or a stretcher it wouldn't be something I'm interested in doing.
But regardless the point I was making was that we created the culture we have around it. There are people pushing to change that, though I doubt it'll catch on anytime soon. Home funerals and natural burials, they've grown in popularity but it's still a near insignificant percentage. Personally I think people should be around death a bit more, people have a very unhealthy relationship with it and so the entire business is opaque by nature.
11
Express-Citron-63871 day ago
+3
I want that after reading about some budget crematorium that broke down and so they just tossed bodies in the woods.
3
WhereasParticular8671 day ago
+17
Unregulated industry attracts business owners!
Unregulated industry attracts business owners who see opportunities without regulation.
This was always going to happen, and is always a foregone result of deregulation. It's all a matter of *when* someone will abuse the lack of oversight and regulation, not *if*.
17
Guilty_Cattle_516522 hr ago
+5
The Mortician on HBO was quite a story.
5
A_Nonny_Muse1 day ago
+23
Most regulations were written in blood. But many were written in greed, sadism, vengeance, apathy, and stupidity.
23
GamingWithBilly1 day ago
+17
I just don't understand how and why these funeral people would just keep rotting bodies throughout the facility and never cremated them...I can only assume that the morbid practice caused some kind of mental illness - maybe imbalming fluid poisoning
17
Express-Citron-63871 day ago
+14
Don't die in Georgia. Go elsewhere.
# 20 years ago, nearly 350 decomposing bodies were found at a GA crematorium
[https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/20-years-ago-nearly-350-decomposing-bodies-were-found-scattered-across-ga-crematorium/FWEDMWJCYRGFJOYJWVRL7KSUPA/](https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/20-years-ago-nearly-350-decomposing-bodies-were-found-scattered-across-ga-crematorium/FWEDMWJCYRGFJOYJWVRL7KSUPA/)
14
megabummige18 hr ago
+6
Due to my work, I spend some time speaking with one of the arrestees who own a funeral home service in the Denver area--one of the cases over the last few years. In their instance, they got really behind on paying for cremation fees and debt and the cash flow that funded the business dried up. Basically they were like taking payment for bodies they were receiving and using the cash to process bodies they were behind on. It spiraled out of control and ended up with a backlog of bodies. Instead of admitting their failure, they hid bodies and committed fraud to try to catch up. Really fucked the arrestee up, but was a million times worse on the families of course.
6
Smooth_Storm_96981 day ago
+9
I don't want the context
9
UndisclosedLocation51 day ago
+5
It's a dying industry
5
brassninja22 hr ago
+5
I will never understand these hoard of rotting corpses scandals. I don’t get how they’re pulling off a scam by just not cremating the remains like normal.
Is it that they agree to take on too many at once and can never catch up? How is it financially feasible to profit MORE by hiding corpses? Is their equipment broken and they don’t wanna pay for repairs? Is running the equipment too expensive??? I don’t understand
5
MsE016 hr ago
+2
Running the equipment is expensive. It uses a lot of energy/fuel.
2
cromwest1 day ago
+4
Ugh, Colorado is ruining it for the rest of us
4
FormerNeighborhood8013 hr ago
+1
One of their relatives was running a drug business next door to us. They busted him yesterday. What is it with this family?
1
jcveloso813 hr ago
+1
The restaurant style public database is such a simple idea. We check health scores before eating out but have almost no visibility into where our loved ones are being handled. Feels like a basic thing families should be able to look up before making arrangements. Hard to believe it took this long.
1
compuwiza11 day ago
-18
Undertakers are ghouls!
-18
Available_Border10751 day ago
+6
That’s not the takeaway
6
trampus11 day ago
-26
Of course they diddled the bodies. Why else would you pick this job?
-26
Necratog_Mischief1 day ago
+21
Everyone dies eventually and burial/cremation is mandatory. After i buried my mother, the funeral home director showed up at my door a week later just to check on us. A good funeral home is paramount for a family moving on and helping people get the closure they need.
Some people see it as a calling, some see it as job security, where i live it’s usually a generational family business.
21
Available_Border10751 day ago
+7
Somebody has to do this job, it’s a very important profession
7
dogfood4catz1 day ago
+4
Did you read the article? This isn't what happened
4
ToddlerPuncher50001 day ago
+7
If I said it once I'll say it again. I just don't want my remains to spend eternity with a load in my mouth. Is that too much to ask for?
31 Comments