Police in Humberside have met with more than 160 families whose loved ones’ remains could be among human ashes found at the Legacy funeral home in Hull that will never be identified.
A total of 35 bodies were recovered in March from the company’s premises on Hessle Road, along with the ashes of an unknown number of people, after reports of “concern for care of the deceased”.
The bodies were able to be identified and families have been informed. But police said it was impossible to ascertain to whom the ashes belonged, with 163 families of potential victims being traced using the funeral home’s records.
In April, police, working with forensic scientists and specialists, determined it would not be possible to extract any DNA from the ashes because the high temperatures involved in a cremation would have broken down any potential samples to the point where it would not be possible to get a meaningful profile.
Since then, police said comprehensive inquiries and detailed work had been carried out from documentation found with individual ashes and at the premises, to potentially identify and locate next of kin.
“As a result, 163 families have now been identified and officers have been contacting them to provide an update and discuss the options available to them,” Humberside police said in a statement.
Thom Mcloughlin, the assistant chief constable of the Humberside force, who is leading the investigation, said: “Over the last two weeks, my officers have been making contact with the families identified as part of the investigation.
“This has been to provide an update as to the ashes recovered and to also arrange personal meetings with them, to offer further support and discuss in detail the process that has taken place and the options available to them.
“We have waited to provide this update publicly until initial contact could be made, as understandably the families are our priority and the information is personal and private to them.”
He said the meetings began last week and would take time to complete, with officers and support staff from Hull city council and East Riding council in attendance to offer care and assistance to families.
McLoughlin said: “Some families may want to receive the ashes, and others may not, there is no right or wrong answer and the impact and affect it will have will differ for each individual family, but it should not be underestimated and we will do all we can to support those throughout what is an incredibly difficult time.
“If you have not received a call from us in regards to the ashes recovered, but you have concerns or feel impacted by any element of the ongoing investigation, support is available via Victim Support’s 24-hour independent helpline on 0808 281 1136, and I would you encourage to please get in touch.
“Again, as always, I want to thank the families and everyone in our communities for their understanding as we continue this complex investigation, and we will endeavour to provide answers and updates as and when we are able to.”
A 46-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of prevention of a lawful and decent burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position were released under investigation.
In May, a hearing was held to dissolve Legacy funeral home, which owed Hull city council £40,938 in unpaid fees and owed £5,000 in utility bills.
The solicitor advocate Paul Thompson, representing the council, said the issues came to light when a whistleblower contacted the police on 6 March over concerns about “the way bodies were stored”. He said the company “certainly will not ever operate again”.
