Arrests at a funeral directors in Hull.

It appears that the company may have had financial difficulties from time to time as accounts were filed late, resulting in threats from Companies House that it would be struck off the register. I have not read or heard of crematoria refusing to deal with them. What MOnica suggests is plausible, but in the absence of confirmation of the facts it is speculation.

This is indeed an increasingly distressing story, and as GSM and others have said, we have to take care with what we post, but for what it is worth, I suspect this is more a case of a business getting out of hand, being unrealistic in what they promise people (who can likely ill afford other funeral services), and it spiralling. More a case of a badly run business out of misguided efforts to help people than any malicious intent, but of course, this is only my opinion based on news reports. Dreadfully upsetting for the families.

Yes, the link which lemsip last posted mentioned a woman who had to arrange the funerals of her father brother who died within days of one another, and only this company would help her. They also showed patience whilst she awaited a grant from the DWP. The premises of which photographs have been posted by newspapers seem to be in a very run down area which better off people would likely shun.

* father and brother.

Hi, I remember years ago. This lady told me that her friend was at a funeral and her little boy was getting bored outside. Whilst people stood and talked.. He decided to around the back of the funeral place. There he saw his grandad been removed from his coffin and placed into a box. He said the car drove off with the coffin.. The box with his grandad in was taken in the back door.
He ran to tell his family and they went no, you didn't see that. Are you Sure.. He couldn't get anyone to believe him. So he asked the guy that was stood by the funeral car. And he said we some times recycle coffins.. Little Harry didn't know what he ment.. They never could prove this happened. Because the child was too young. Thinking he'd made it all up..

I read a story of a family having supposedly had jewellery made up from a family member's ashes but they were now being asked to go to identify the family member's remains as he had not in fact been cremated. Truly dreadful if true.

It seems to me (professional in the sector) that people have paid for cremation been told cremation has taken place but the bodies of the deceased were still in the premises

We do know from newspaper reports that that has happened in one case so it’s unlikely to be a one-off given the number of bodies removed.

Oh dear. Those poor families. And to have jewellery made out of a loved ones ashes only to discover his body was still in their freezer! And had been there since July 2023?

www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-68529604

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www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/crime/legacy-independent-funeral-directors-two-people-arrested-as-34-bodies-removed-from-yorkshire-funeral-directors-by-police-4549803

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news.sky.com/story/bodies-moved-from-funeral-director-by-police-in-hull-after-concerns-raised-13091521

I’m guessing they took the cash for the cremations but kept the bodies, giving relatives ashes from their fireplace.

GrauntyHelen

It seems to me (professional in the sector) that people have paid for cremation been told cremation has taken place but the bodies of the deceased were still in the premises

That's what I think, too.
It's just terrible: those poor families.

Another distressing aspect for the poor families is that they are having to identify the bodies of their loved ones. Just truly dreadful.

I do not understand why relatives should need to see deceased relatives to identify them. It should be quite possible to do itthrough DNA testing.

In many cases families will still have toothbrushes, hair brushes, worn and unwashed clothing that samples can be taken from for exact matches, and failing that comparing it with samples from close relatives.

Criminal charges have been brought so positive identification of the bodies is important. DNA should be resorted to only if physical identification is not possible.

Germanshepherdsmum

Criminal charges have been brought so positive identification of the bodies is important. DNA should be resorted to only if physical identification is not possible.

However upsetting, people might want to ensure that it is their dead relative and make sure they have a decent burial or cremation at last.

Besides which, forensic DNA testing costs quite a lot of money, unlike some of the tests offered by genealogy sites.

There may not be any relative close enough to test.
And, if tests are inconclusive or not conclusive for any reason, it could cause even more distress for the deceased's family.

I may be wrong but I don’t think familial DNA testing provides conclusive evidence of identity, just that the people concerned were related. In a case like this the evidence of identity has to be presented beyond reasonable doubt.

Germanshepherdsmum

I may be wrong but I don’t think familial DNA testing provides conclusive evidence of identity, just that the people concerned were related. In a case like this the evidence of identity has to be presented beyond reasonable doubt.

Yes.

In any case, relatives may well have got rid of anything belonging to the deceased that could have provided valuable, usable DNA as some bodies are years old. ☹

Yes, I would think they have. It would have to be something like a toothbrush, hairbrush or comb which hadn’t been washed since the deceased used it - some people might keep such items but probably not many.

It is not yet clear what offences may have been committed if no charges have been brought. Obviously it is very unsettling for the relatives but we can't speculate.

The funeral director and his daughter were arrested on suspicion of preventing a lawful and decent burial, fraud by misrepresentation and fraud by abuse of position. 35 bodies were removed for identification together with a quantity of what was suspected to be human ashes. One woman interviewed said she was told her husband was cremated some time ago but his body was one of those removed. The police investigation continues. It’s not difficult to join the dots.

I can never understand people having jewellery or even keeping urns of ashes They are all mixed up and you may just be getting wood ash back anyway, even from the legit firms
I sawan elderly gent on TV over this case in tears thinking he had his wives ashes and being told he didn’t

It s all a terrible con in my opinion The prices are ridiculous
Why are we forced to have a coffin to be burnt (or reused) why can’t you be burnt in a cotton bag

I have never understood why anyone would want to be cremated.

Germanshepherdsmum

I have never understood why anyone would want to be cremated.

But why not?

Burials take up land. And I think it’s terribly sad to see overgrown, neglected graves. You read the headstones, ‘Always remembered’, and similar. Yes, while family members live locally, and are able to attend regularly, keep things tidy, put on fresh flowers.

But when those family members have moved, got too old to look after things, or die themselves. Who remembers then?

Country churchyards are the worst, but even certain graves in municipal cemeteries soon look forgotten.

Cremation for me.