Dozens of decomposing bodies found at Chicago funeral home, authorities say

By Diego Mendoza, CNN

(CNN) — An investigation is underway after dozens of decomposing human remains were found at a Chicago funeral home, authorities said.

More than 50 bodies in “various states of decomposition” were located at the address associated with the South Chicago Chapel funeral home, Cook County officials said in a release Thursday.

The county medical examiner’s office is “assessing the conditions of the remains, searching for documentation regarding identification of the decedents as well as death certificates,” the news release reads. “This process could take several days to ensure proper disposition.”

The medical examiner’s office “will work with authorities to identify these decedents as quickly as possible and notify their families,” the release reads.

CNN is attempting to reach the South Chicago Chapel for comment.

A resident living next to the funeral home, who wanted to be identified only as “V,” told CNN affiliate WBBM that the smell was like “a dead mouse.”

“It just, like, stinks all the time. Like, it’s so bad.”

The medical examiner’s office had been notified by Illinois and Chicago officials of decedents being improperly stored, the Cook County government news release said. Chicago police went to the business to help the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation “with a license investigation,” police said in a separate release.

The professional regulation department temporarily suspended a funeral director and embalmer license Wednesday for a person associated with the business, due to a finding that the licensee’s “continued practice is a danger to the public safety, interest and welfare,” according to an online document from the department.

“Multiple decedents” were “kept in an unrefrigerated area with deplorable conditions including rodent infestation, causing decomposition and maggot infestation of the bodies,” the department’s document reads.

The Chicago Fire Department also responded, and later declared the scene “a hazardous material (HAZMAT) incident,” police said.

CNN is trying to reach Chicago police, the county medical examiner’s office and the district attorney’s office for more information.

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