SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Another family was given incorrect ashes that they thought were those of a loved one by Heinz Funeral Home, according to the Sangamon County coroner.Â
Coroner Jim Allmon confirmed to WAND News that a family recently brought in ashes they were given that did not belong to their loved one.Â
This comes after an investigation into the Carlinville funeral home revealed up to 800 human remains could have been misidentified.
Heinz Funeral Home came under scrutiny in the fall of 2023 when Allmon's office was contacted by a local hospital about a body that had been in its morgue for more than a month.
"Our investigation has discovered numerous incidents similar to this that involve Heinz Funeral Home/Family Care Cremations telling the descendants' family that their loved one had been cremated, that they had then been provided with remains, when in actuality, a cremation never even took place," Allmon said during a news conference in September 2023.
In an affidavit filed in a pending lawsuit obtained by WAND News, Allmon reports that his office has assisted with "several hundred phone calls concerning reports of mishandled cremains" and has confirmed 75 cases of families receiving incorrect cremains.
He also notes that his investigation showed that Heinz handled around 800 cremations from 2017 to 2023.
"Based on my office's investigation, the individuals who contracted with Heinz Funeral Home, LLC and/or Family Care Cremation, LLC for cremations between 2017 through 2023 cannot be certain that they have the actual cremains of the deceased person entrusted to Heinz Funeral Home, LLC and/or Family Care Cremation, LLC for cremation."
Following the investigation, Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield) worked with Allmon to create the Integrity in Death Care Act.
The law, signed by Gov. JB Pritzker, created an identification system for all human remains to ensure funeral homes never mishandle human remains again.
"This identification system is something we can all get behind," said Allmon when the law was signed. "I think it's non-partisan. I think it's common sense."
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