More Bohemian National Cemetery crematorium violations surface as photos show decaying bodies
More violations at Chicago's Bohemian National Cemetery and Crematorium have surfaced, which is now under investigation for its role in mishandling bodies connected to the family that ran South Chicago Chapel.
More than 50 decomposing bodies were found at the Far South Side funeral home last week. Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation records showed South Side Chapel's funeral director was listed as Johanna Morgan and her husband Clark Morgan as its president.
Clark Morgan previous owned and operated Heights Crematory in Chicago Heights, which was shut down in 2025 and was accused of mishandling the bodies of people who had recently died.
CBS News Chicago Investigators have now obtained disturbing photos being examined by state regulators showing further apparent misconduct at Bohemian National Cemetery and Crematorium. The photos are graphic in nature, and while CBS News Chicago has blurred some of them, they give a clear picture of how bodies were being handled there in 2025.
The photos show remains left outside of refrigeration units with body parts exposed, unsanitary conditions, bodily fluids on the floor, even a deceased dog left on top of a cooler in front of a fan. Photos of the outside cemetery show flooding and floating debris. One photo even appears to show part of a bone lying in the grass.
Along with the 56 bodies found at South Side Chapel, investigators also recovered more than 50 boxes of cremains. All have been sent back to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office where only 12 have been identified.
After Heights Crematory was shut down in 2025, Clark and Johanna Morgan lost their crematory license, but faced no criminal charges. They were able to keep operating their funeral business, as well as Planet Green Cremations in south suburban Glenwood.
After the Morgans lost their cremation license, they used Bohemian National Cemetery Crematorium to carry out the cremations they promised to families at South Chicago Chapel. Twenty-two bodies connected to the Morgans were found at Bohemian last week.
The Illinois State Comptroller's Office confirmed they found other problems in recent years at Bohemian, including broken cremation equipment. There is also a record that staff there was improperly emitting particles through their smokestack.
Bohemian faces fines and suspension, and have agreed to shut down while the state continues its probe.
