56 decomposing bodies found stored improperly at Chicago funeral home
Authorities in Chicago discovered 56 improperly stored, decomposing bodies at a funeral home run by a couple who previously operated a crematory shut down for similar reasons. One director's license has been suspended and an investigation is underway.
The remains of 56 people were discovered on Thursday at South Chicago Chapel, a Chicago funeral home, stored in improper conditions and in various stages of decomposition. The Cook county medical examiner's office said it was alerted by state and local officials and sent investigators and forensic pathologists to the scene.
Illinois' department of financial and professional regulation had suspended funeral director Johanna Morgan's license earlier in the week, citing findings that she allowed multiple bodies to be kept in an unrefrigerated area in "deplorable conditions," including rodent and maggot infestation. The discovery followed months of complaints from neighborhood residents about a foul odor coming from the building.
The medical examiner's office said assessing the remains and confirming identities could take several days, after which families will be notified. Police clarified on Friday that an earlier statement incorrectly claimed the fire department had declared the site a hazardous materials incident. No arrests have been announced, though detectives are investigating.
A small group of residents and people searching for information about deceased relatives gathered outside the funeral home on Friday. One woman said her mother's funeral was held at the chapel on Thursday, just before authorities arrived, and that she was later told her mother's remains would need an autopsy.
Ties to a previously shut-down crematory
State comptroller Susana Mendoza said Johanna Morgan and her husband, Clark Morgan, previously operated a crematory in Chicago Heights whose license was revoked last year after improperly stored bodies and hundreds of unreturned cremated remains were found there. Clark Morgan's own funeral director license had already been revoked in 2024 over unprofessional conduct and practicing with an expired license. Both Morgans are named as defendants in lawsuits tied to that crematory.
The case adds to a string of similar incidents across the US in recent years, including mishandled remains discovered in Colorado, Georgia and Indiana.
