Family devastated father's remains were stolen from Harvard, sold
PLAISTOW, NH - A New Hampshire family is devastated after learning their dad's remains were stolen and sold online. Prosecutors say the manager of the morgue at Harvard Medical School took body parts and sold them for tens of thousands of dollars.
It is a grotesque crime that has many families who donated their loved one's bodies in absolute shock.
A phone call with Harvard Wednesday night brought the Pichowicz family devastating news. Pieces of Nick Pichowicz were likely sold on the black market.
"I can't believe that," his daughter Paula Peltonavich said. "Like what eyes? I mean skin? It's just disgusting. I don't even know; I don't want to know."
Always a giving man in life, Pichowicz wanted to do the same in death, so the 87-year-old donated his body to the Harvard Medical School for education and research in 2019.
"I mean you put them on the higher pedestal, and you know you think Harvard. You think you're safe," his daughter Darlene Lynch said.
But now, the family believes Pichowicz was the victim of a sickening scheme where federal prosecutors say Cedric Lodge, the director of Harvard's morgue, stole and sold body parts to make some extra cash.
"I literally wanted to throw up," Lynch said.
What makes this even harder on the family is that they also donated their mom's body to Harvard in March of this year, after the feds believe they shut down the bizarre operation. But still, the family wants her remains back now.
"I just feel bad for everybody that is victimized with this," Peltonovich said. "It's just not right."
A statement from Harvard admits the case is "morally reprehensible" and says the school was "appalled to learn that something so disturbing could happen on our campus."
But this family says Harvard still has a ton of explaining to do for the betrayal of their parents.
"They trusted them to do good science work with their bodies. And then you hear this," Peltonovich said.
As for the culprits in the dark scheme, they are looking for more than a slap on the wrist.
"Those people need to be punished," Lynch said. "They need to be punished, it's just sick."
Both daughters have ashes of their dad sent back to them after his body supposedly served its medical purpose, but with trust in short supply, they now wonder if it's even him.
If anyone believes they or a family member may have been affected by the investigation, call (717) 614-4249 or email usapam-victim.information@usdoj.gov .
