Stiff Penalty For Philadelphia Funeral Home Director Accused Of Improperly Storing Human Remains
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- She did not treat the dead with dignity: so say state officials about the director of a Philadelphia funeral home whom they've hit with a stiff fine.
Janet Powell-Dailey has been forced to give up her funeral director and supervisor licenses and must pay $300,000.
The fine includes the maximum civil penalty the Pennsylvania Board of Funeral Directors can levy, and also ensnares Powell Mortuary Services, the home the 72-year-old woman ran along 27th Street near Cumberland in North Philadelphia. It's now been shut down.
In late August, three decomposing bodies were found in a garage around the corner.
In its ruling, the state board found Powell-Dailey and the home failed to properly store and promptly dispose of the remains and permitted them to deteriorate.
The board also says the woman didn't maintain records of funeral services as required, and the mortuary was on a lapsed license.
Powell-Dailey still faces criminal charges including abuse of corpse. A preliminary hearing is set for next month.