Bodies found decomposing in Chicago funeral home leave families shocked, distraught

The discovery of more than 50 bodies in various states of decomposition inside a Far South Side, Chicago funeral home has left family members who used their services shocked, distraught and looking for their loved ones.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office told CBS News Chicago it had been notified by city and state officials Thursday about bodies improperly stored at South Chicago Chapel, located at 95th Street and Exchange Avenue.

Records show funeral director Johnanna Morgan had been "allowing multiple decedents to be kept in an unrefrigerated area with deplorable conditions including rodent infestation, causing decomposition and maggot infestation of the bodies." Her license has been suspended, with the state finding the facility's "continued practice is a danger to the public safety, interest and welfare."

Police and officials from the medical examiner's office worked through the night, removing bodies from the funeral home to begin the painstaking process of identifying all of them and contacting their families. The medical examiner expects the identification process to take several days.

Latasha Johnson's mother's funeral was held Thursday at South Chicago Chapel, just hours before police showed up. She said the odor was apparent.

"I know mildew when I smell mildew. This smelled like death," she said. "My brother, he went to [the funeral director] and said, 'Can you do something about this, man?' And that's when he got Lysol and sprayed the carpet. So you got Lysol on top of death."

Johnson said before they held the funeral, she was also asked to do something she never should have been asked to do: dress her mother's body.

"And then I had to dress my mother. I had to touch her. I was scared to touch my mother," she said.

Already traumatized by the experience, she asked family members to step in.

"I'm already going through it with my momma and then I got to do this. So I'm getting family members to help. They don't want to touch my momma. I understand that. So I'm doing the best I can," she said.

Many other families are in the same boat. Some came to the building Friday, trying to find information about their loved ones and whether their bodies are among the ones being removed. Even families who had received ashes from the home were left wondering if what they got was actually their loved ones.

Patrice Hallburton, whose sister died in May, told CBS News Chicago the staff at South Chicago Chapel told her it would take several months to cremate her, but then called the next week to say it was done. Now she's unsure if the ashes belong to her sister.

"There's more fear right now than anger," Halliburton said. "You know, we want to have time to process it. We don't—we, we don't know if Melody is in there or not. So right now, we're more fearful that she is than we are angry. I'd rather save that anger for later when we know for sure what's going on."

Angela Young is mourning the recent death of her 48-year-old brother, Keith.

"Keith was a warm-hearted person. He'll give his shirt off his back to anyone. He was just all-around jolly, just a kind person," she said.

The family's plans to gather and remember their loved one were disrupted even before they learned of the investigation into South Chicago Chapel.

"The viewing as set to be yesterday. I got a call yesterday saying, 'Hey, your brother body is not here.' There was a bunch of people out there waiting to view the body. So, I called the funeral home and they didn't answer," she said.

The family said staff at the funeral home told them they would eventually be able to see their loved one, but the family soon learned about the investigation that led to the suspension of the funeral home director's license.

"So, we haven't even seen my brother. We don't even know what he looked like. Did they do what they supposed to did? So, we don't know for sure," Angela said.

Ald. Peter Chicago (10th) is among officials trying to connect impacted families with resources. He said he's also looking into preventing something like this from happening again.

"To know that your loved one's remains are … the whereabouts are unknown, that's just horrific, unacceptable," he said. "I've been on the phone today with my state lawmakers to figure out how we deal with this, whether it be through drafting law or other policies. This cannot happen again."

For Angela, the ordeal has prevented the family from getting closure.

"We just want answers. That's all. We just want our brother. We just want to lay him to rest. That's it," she said.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office asked family members of anyone whose remains were stored at South Chicago Chapel to help them with identifying the bodies by emailing the following information to MEOfamilyservices@cookcountyil.gov: 

• Your name, phone number and email address  
• Relationship to decedent 
• Name, date of birth and date of death of decedent 

The medical examiner's office said it will contact families to make final arrangements for the bodies once they have been positively identified. The office also will handle cremation of any remains at no cost for families if they so choose, or can work with families to find another funeral home for arrangements.

CBS News Chicago has reached out to both the funeral home and its president, but have not received a response.

Johnson had a message for family members who are looking for a new funeral home.

"Not everybody is trifling like this, and evil and sick like this," she said.

State records show the president of South Chicago Chapel is listed as Clark Morgan, the same person who previously operated Heights Crematory in Chicago Heights. Heights Crematory was shut down by the state last year for mishandling bodies after authorities found remains stored in trailers, partially wrapped in sheets or clear plastic bags.

The crematory agreed to shut down its operations amid a probe by the Illinois State Comptroller's office, which regulates the cremation industry.