A HEARTBROKEN daughter fears she “was kissing an empty coffin” meant to contain her dad – as a “fraudulent” funeral home is accused of giving families the wrong ashes.
Police removed 35 bodies from Legacy Independent Funeral Directors on Hessle Road in Hull following “concern for care of the deceased”.
PAPolice outside the Beckside branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull[/caption]
MEN MediaPolice raided three Legacy Funeral Director locations in East Yorkshire, including on Hessle Road, Hull[/caption]
PAPolice were seen around the back of the Hessle Road branch on Monday[/caption]
Billie-Jo Suffill, 33, lost her dad Andy Suffill, 52, just a few days after her brother in July 2022 – and used the firm for the cremation but says she “never received” her dad’s ashes.
Fearing she may be impacted by the scandal, Mum-of-three Billie-Jo told the BBC: “It’s not human, it’s not normal.
“It’s not something you hear, not in Hull, not in our little town, it’s crazy.”
Humberside Police said a “quantity of what we suspect to be human ashes” was also removed from the Hessle Road site.
A 46-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman arrested in connection with the investigation into the funeral directors, have been bailed, police said.
Cordons are in place at the firm’s branches in Hessle Road and Anlaby Road in Hull, and in Beverley.
It comes as a widow has been told she will have to identify the body of her dead husband eight months after she believed he had been cremated.
Three generations of women in the family, his widow, daughter and grand-daughter have all been wearing jewellery made from his supposed “ashes”.
But they are now “distraught” to learn the ashes could be those of another person.
A friend of the family said: “The man died in July, last year, and after the cremation they brought his ashes back.
“The daughter slept with them beside her bed and the family also took them to the pub for a memorial.
“They then paid quite a bit of money to have the ashes turned into crystal jewellery for his widow, daughter and grand-daughter to wear to remember him.
“But now they have found out that he wasn’t cremated and he has been in the freezer all this time.
“Apparently, the police have told them, that he could have only been frozen under the direction of the Coroner.
“The widow is distraught. The family thought they had his remains, and are now asking ‘if it’s not him, then who is it?’
“They are now grieving again, they have lost that closure that a funeral give you.
“His widow has now been told by the police that she will have to go and identify the body of her dead husband – imagine that!”
Some fear the allegations against the funeral parlour could hit families going back 13 years.
A Coroner and the family should be informed if a body is to be kept frozen.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Humberside Police assistant chief constable Thom McLaughlin said: “So far, we are pursuing extensive lines of inquiry.
“And have special search and forensic teams conducting thorough searches of various business premises that are linked to the suspects that were detained this weekend.
“I can confirm that a man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of prevention of a lawful, decent burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position.
“They have since been released on police bail with conditions whilst our investigation is continuing.
“I recognise that this is a distressing time for all of those affected and I have no doubt it will have a significant impact across all our local communities and beyond.”
PAA 46-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman arrested in connection with the investigation into the funeral directors, have been bailed, police said[/caption]
PACordons are in place at the firm’s branches in Hessle Road and Anlaby Road in Hull, and in Beverley[/caption]
PAHumberside Police said a ‘quantity of what we suspect to be human ashes’ was also removed from Legacy Funeral Directors in Hull[/caption]
PAPolice removed 35 bodies from Legacy Independent Funeral Directors on Hessle Road in Hull following ‘concern for care of the deceased’[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
