Number of Unclaimed Bodies Increases as Families Can’t Afford Burials

[Yehonala]

Coroners and medical examiners across the country are reporting spikes in the number of unclaimed bodies and indigent burials, with states, counties and private funeral homes having to foot the bill when families cannot.

The increase comes as governments short on cash are cutting other social service programs, with some municipalities dipping into emergency and reserve funds to help cover the costs of burials or cremations.

Oregon, for example, has seen a 50 percent increase in the number of unclaimed bodies over the past few years, the majority left by families who say they cannot afford services. “There are more people in our cooler for a longer period of time,” said Dr. Karen Gunson, the state’s medical examiner. “It’s not that we’re not finding families, but that the families are having a harder time coming up with funds to cover burial or cremation costs.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/us/11burial.html?_r=1

Even in the Great Depression families still paid for burials or did it themselves. Another example of America becoming an animalistic culture.

[virgogal]

1. I guess I'm confused. Why are Americans animalistic? Could you clarify,please.

[lildreamer316]

2. I don't think we are ALLOWED to do it ourselves.

I think it's against the law/health codes/zoning/something to bury a person just anywhere. Explain how we are supposed to do it ourselves..break into a cemetary and try to dig a place out?

[Enrique]

3. we need to privatize this service

some crooked GOP connected company needs to come in an make a lot of money disposing of bodies for desperate local communities for cheap, and then years from now we can find out what ghastly thing they were doing with the bodies.

[Dan]

5. Please not that...

I'm scared enough of supermarket food....

[imdjh]

4. During the Great Depression my great uncle and great grandfather died. It cost zip to bury them.

OK, it cost something for the headstones I guess, but the graves were free.

[madrchsod]

6. my friend died and her children did not have enough money to bury her.

the funeral home cremated her and it took several months for her children to raise enough funds to retrieve her ashes.

around here a simple funeral and burial is 8 thousand plus