56 boxes of cremated human remains found in former funeral director's home

(CBS/AP) DAYTON, Ohio- 56 boxes of cremated human remains were found Tuesday at a house belonging to former funeral Scherrie McLin and her sister, Tanya Anderson, in southwest Ohio, reported the Dayton Daily News.

According to Dayton police Lt. Wendy Stiver, a contractor called police on Tuesday after finding the boxes stacked in a closet. The plastic boxes, used to temporarily store cremated remains, appeared to be from the former McLin Funeral Home. It is unclear why the remains were in the home.

"He said the house is in foreclosure and he was hired to remove remaining items from the house," Stiver told The Associated Press.

Stiver added that investigators needed to identify the remains and "seek out more information" before continuing; however, this is the latest incident involving McLin and the funeral home. In recent years, she has lost her funeral director's license, business operating license, and faces a major lawsuit involving a client's family. Her current whereabouts are unknown.

According to the Dayton Daily News, the coroner's office said the boxes were labeled with the name of the crematory and the name and date of death of the deceased individual. Stiver said that officers will go through the records seized and try to determine if any crimes have been committed.

The executive director for the Ohio Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors, Vanessa Niekamp, said that state law requires that cremated remains be disposed of 60 days after they are not claimed, either in a grave, crypt or niche. McLin would have only broken the law if she disposed of them by other means, Niekamp said.

In Mclin's previous suspension hearing on September 8, she was accused of holding a body for ransom, according to a report submitted by a Columbus attorney and hearing officer.