Disgrace to the dead: 500 bodies stored in morgue that's only designed to hold 300

By Victoria Wellman
Updated: 15:59 EST, 16 January 2012


Lack of funds to pay for coffins is being blamed as the reason why a morgue has 200 more bodies crammed inside than there is capacity for, it is claimed.

The controversy centres around the Cook County Medical Examiner's office where 500 corpses, including those of 100 babies, have been wrapped in blue plastic tarpaulin and stacked one on top of another inside the storage cooler.

According to sources, the bodies of the thinnest adults and those of infants have been doubled up on trays because of a shortage of wooden burial 'boxes' usually provided by the state to poor families.

Not so cool: 500 bodies at the County Cook Medical Office have been stacked on top of each other in the storage coolers creating a stench

Not so cool: 500 bodies at the County Cook Medical Office have been stacked on top of each other in the storage cooler creating a stench

In the past, babies and fetuses, who died at birth or from miscarriage, were buried in communal wooden coffins.

Last year, in response to growing criticism, the county ordinance was amended and the tiny corpses now require individual boxes. 

But these burial containers have been slow in the making.

Medical examiner, Nancy Jones explained to the Chicago Sun-Times: 'We haven’t been able to do any infant or fetal burials because we are waiting for some special boxes to be designed and built.'

Speaking to the Chicago paper about conditions at the morgue, an appalled worker said: 'There are so many bodies in there now, they can’t keep it cool enough.

'The stench is like nothing I’ve ever seen.'

Shortage: State funding cuts and changes in ordinance have resulted in too many corpses and not enough coffins for adults and babies

Shortage: State funding cuts and changes in ordinance have resulted in too many corpses and not enough coffins for adults and babies


Another source, disgusted by the situation added: 'I think it’s sacrilegious.'

Dr Jones, however, assured horrified residents that, despite the numbers of corpses claimed to have been packed inside the cooler, the figures were not as high.

She told the paper: 'What we currently have in our cooler is somewhere around 300 bodies. There is not twice that number.'

According to the doctor, the biggest challenge, that has brought about the present situation at the morgue, has been last year's $13million cuts from state aid that diminished the budget used to pay for wooden coffins.

Though a new initiative was recently set up to donate unclaimed bodies to scientific research after two weeks, impoverished families of the deceased still rely on the boxes provided by the state for burial of their loved ones.

Recently Cook County has not been able to afford these $300 boxes.

Last week, however, the county office was informed that the state had reinstated funding for the program.

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