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Report: Chicago Heights Crematory Agrees to Shut Down
Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza recently told CBS News that Heights Crematory, Inc. in Chicago Heights, Illinois, has agreed to shut down after her office launched an investigation into the business.
The probe came after violations documented by Illinois Office of Comptroller staff, including improper storage of bodies, lying to auditors, and failing to maintain proper cremation records, according to her office.
“I am appalled, disgusted, and deeply saddened by the disrespect Heights Crematory showed to the remains of the deceased, and we are working swiftly to strip the facility of its license,” she stated in an earlier news release. “No family should have to wonder what happened to their loved one when they pass or learn a deceased family or friend wasn’t treated with the utmost respect and dignity they deserve.”
Upon learning of the alleged problems at Heights Crematory in February, the Illinois Office of Comptroller dispatched staff to the facility and secured an agreement from Heights management that they would stop accepting new cases.
When IOC first arrived, there were approximately 100 bodies waiting to be cremated. IOC staff also confronted crematory personnel with evidence of an undisclosed refrigerated trailer on the property.
Heights management admitted the existence of an additional trailer they had concealed containing 19 bodies from Indiana, Mendoza’s office said. There were also hundreds of boxes of unclaimed cremated remains.
State law is designed to give crematories the chance to fix documented issues, the comptroller’s office said. Closing a crematory business is a serious step that the office does not take lightly and which it has never done before.
Texas Funeral Service Commission Fires Executive Director
A defiant Scott Bingaman, the executive director of the Texas Funeral Service Commission, was told his services would no longer be needed after a unanimous vote that concluded he should be removed from his post.
The former chief of the state agency responsible for overseeing the deathcare profession had accused the agency of “rot” in a letter obtained by the Houston Chronicle.
“Shame on you guys,” he reportedly said from the audience at the June 18 meeting. “You do not control me.”
The commission licenses funeral providers, inspects funeral establishments and investigates complaints from the public. It is composed of seven individuals who are appointed by the governor. The commission also oversees donations of bodies for medical studies and research, which was previously handled by the now-defunct State Anatomical Board of Texas.
The Houston Chronicle cited public records and reports that show that the commission has struggled with staffing, turnover and keeping up with complaints over the past decade.
Bingman had only worked at the commission since September 2024.
In his letter, he alleged members had a conflict of interest in overseeing the board.
A staff attorney with the commission made no comment on the firing when contacted by Elevate.
Read more in this report.
Funeral Home Wins $4.4M Contract to Serve Chicago
Wallace Harrison Funeral Home on the Northwest side of Chicago just won a five-year contract worth $4.4 million from the city’s police department, according to a report in the Chicago Sun Times.
The funeral home will transport bodies, and even though other bids were significantly higher, the funeral home has vowed that it will meet demand.
Nakia Wallace-Harrison, president of the funeral home, told the newspaper she is confident her firm can handle body removal for the whole city — even if there is a mass casualty incident, another pandemic or some other event that results in many deaths.
“If all the bodies dropped because the temperatures rose, and then we got the fentanyl overdoses on the other side of town? Yes, we will be there to remove those bodies,” she said.
Some, however, are skeptical that the funeral home is up to the job.
TFSC Opens Complaint Expanding Investigation into Golden Gate Funeral Home
Firing its executive director is not all the Texas Funeral Service Commission has been up to recently.
At the end of May, it initiated a complaint and expanded its ongoing investigation into Golden Gate Funeral Home in Dallas after a referral from law enforcement authorities in Shreveport, Louisiana, according to a news release.
The new complaint involves the remains of a one-day-old stillborn child that were discovered by a contracted linen service after the remains were transported across state lines.
Before this incident, the commission had already launched an administrative investigation into Golden Gate based on separate allegations. The agency’s review now includes this new matter; the commission will continue to work with law enforcement officials as the situation develops.
TFSC has previously taken disciplinary action against Golden Gate Funeral Home’s license. With this latest complaint, the commission is actively reassessing the establishment’s compliance history and will consider all available remedies under Texas law, including those authorized by the Texas Health and Safety Code and Texas Occupations Code.
Updates will be provided as appropriate when the matter advances, the commission stated.
College in Nevada to Start First Mortuary College Program in the State
Funeral homes in Nevada can look forward to some homegrown talent entering the profession.
That’s because the College of Southern Nevada will offer classes in the fall in mortuary science, becoming the first institution in the state to offer a degree program in funeral service.
The initiative has been made possible through a generous donation from Palm Mortuaries and Cemeteries, according to the college. The funeral home wants to support developing homegrown talent, the college said in a news release.
“This is great for Las Vegas, great for the state of Nevada,” said Cassie Gentry, chair of health-related professions at the College of Southern Nevada. “This is a great profession for students who maybe never considered a career in this field. It requires students who have a great deal of empathy in order to work with families and honor loved ones who have passed.”
The college has been working on developing the program for eight years, and the first cohort of ten students will enroll in the fall. Graduates will earn an Associate of Applied Science Degree. The college plans to ultimately establish a pathway to a bachelor’s degree.
“The new Funeral Services program at CSN is a game-changer for our community, equipping future professionals with the skills and compassion needed to serve families with dignity and care,” said Celena DiLullo, president of Palm Mortuaries and Cemeteries. “This program will strengthen the local funeral services industry by fostering a new generation of licensed professionals dedicated to honoring life and supporting families in their time of need.”
For more information, visit this page.
Equal Deathcare Database Highlights LGBTQIA+-Friendly Funeral Homes
The world of deathcare recently learned about a resource that shines a spotlight on providers that embrace working with the LGBTQIA+ community.
The Equal Deathcare Database might never have been created if not for a serendipitous encounter in an elevator in June 2023.
Focusing on the LGBTQIA+ community, the resource “aims to provide the tools and knowledge which ensures everyone is respected in death, no matter who we are or who we love.”
It was founded by Jennifer Wright-Berryman, an associate professor in social work at the University of Cincinnati, who is also a consultant, trainer and speaker on community-based suicide prevention; and Kat Vancil-Coleman, a licensed funeral director and embalmer with the Paul W. Harris Funeral Home in Rochester, New York.
The database was created after Wright-Berryman sought to ask this question: If I were a member of an LGBTQIA+ community and was trying to find a funeral home for myself, a spouse, or a community member/friend in the LGBTQIA+ community, where would I look? How would I know this provider would welcome me?
Learn more in this feature article on FuneralVision.com.
