Cremations, burials of unclaimed bodies to start this week, says NLHS

Dozens of bodies being kept in long-term storage by Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services will soon be buried, says a health authority chief operating officer.

CBC News first reported 28 bodies were being stored in freezer units outside of the Health Sciences Centre in St. John's due to a lack of space in the morgue in March, 2024. The morgue doubles as the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

The freezers were later relocated to a hospital parking garage where a new, expanded morgue was constructed.

On Monday, eastern-urban zone COO Ron Johnson announced Barrett's Funeral Home had been awarded the contract to carry out the burials.

"This week we had a lot of information come through after the posting went online. So this week some cremations and burials will start and we're working our way through the process," Johnson told reporters.

There are approximately 26 bodies currently in storage, Johnson said, but added the number is known to fluctuate.

"I think it's a little less today, but it'll be a lot less … when the week is over," he said.

CBC News asked Barrett's for an interview on Tuesday, but president Shane Mouland said he wasn't available.

"Please be assured that these cremations and burials will be carried out with the utmost care, dignity, and professionalism. Our team is working closely with NLHS to ensure each individual is respectfully laid to rest in a timely manner," he said in an email.

According to the amended legislation, which was filed on Dec. 24 and came into effect on Jan. 1, the health authority has the power to bury unclaimed bodies after two weeks of searching for next of kin and then five days after the person is posted on a dedicated website.

In May, CBC News reported Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services hadn't buried a single body since legislation came into effect and the website wasn't public.

At the time, health authority spokesperson Mikaela Etchegary said the delay was due to the need to finalize "operationalizing the legislation."

On May 28, a total of 26 names were posted on the website with a deadline of June 4 for people to respond in order to claim the body.

In response, several community efforts were launched to bury some of those individuals in their hometowns.

Other regions dealing with increasing numbers of bodies going unclaimed have brought in public memorial ceremonies to mark their burials.

In a statement to CBC News, health authority spokesperson Jon Oake said something of that nature isn't in the works at the moment.

"While group ceremonies are not planned, we continue to explore meaningful ways to collectively honour unclaimed individuals. Community partnerships and consultation play a key role in shaping this important work," he wrote.

In a statement dated June 3, seniors' advocate Susan Walsh said she had spoken with staff regarding how the deceased will be handled and was assured the wishes of the deceased, if known, would be carried out.

She was also told NLHS will make sure the deceased are sent back to their home communities for burial, and permanent markers with the person's name will be erected at the grave site.

"With the new process and timelines outlined in legislation, this unfortunate situation should be resolved going forward," wrote Walsh.

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