A garage full of decomposing bodies, stained casket pillows, and loved ones mixed up at funerals. These are the horror stories that emerged after the state shut down Swanson Funeral Home in Flint last month.
The only reason the hospice staff would "recommend" a certain funeral home would be if they were getting commission or finders fee for doing so. Either the funeral home approached the staff member, which is unlikely since how would they know what job the person had, or the hospice staff member found a way to make a little extra via the funeral home. I've known several people who were served by several different hospices, and not one was given a certain funeral home recommendation. Beware of any "recommendations", as most are paid for.
The first sentence of your comment sounds like a real possibility that those who referred select funeral homes were likely to have received commissions or finder's fee, regardless of the performance ratings. The reputation of the funeral homes were not important in those instances.
I have worked as a hospice nurse all my life. Hospices do not recommend any. We provide the family with a list of all the local ones and tell them to get calling. We don’t have the time of day to recommend anyone.
If anyone really cares about this, please write an email to Michigan's governor, reminding them that they are ultimately responsible for what is going on in their state. The more of emails/phone calls they get, the better.
I heard about this. They had advertising on TV for lower cost burials. It's a real blemish on the industry. Instead of fines and smacks on the wrist, this guy should prosecuted and locked away for a long time.
This is one of the reasons why I’m so motivated to open my own funeral home someday. The deceased and their families deserve the very best. Not one speck of slack. Also, getting ripped off (especially during grieving) by some funeral homes is another reason why. The biggest loss to a person is another. - Please re-read that I said “SOME funeral homes.” I did not type “all funeral homes.” Just thought I’d clarify this to those who misread my comment.
Please do open your own. We need small, honest places instead of a corporation. Where I live in Wisconsin, EVERY funeral home in my medium sized city is owned by one corporation. All different names and they try to make them look like different places, but all owned by the same guy. That’s why people get ripped off.
Surely if there is any suspicion of a funeral home the alarm bells must ring I can't believe that the home was never shut down. Massive failure from the authorities here
Who knew? After the first complaint was reported to the news media, that was the time the funeral home should have been closed permanently, with a possibility to be demolished.
Shit like this is why I will NEVER put my parents in an old folk's home. I've never understood how people can put their fathers and mothers in the care of complete strangers and not want to help them with their later years, just as they helped us with our early ones. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess...
Melodie totally depends on the parents. I remember a question on ethics if your father and mother were both drowning in a pool you cd only save one what would you do. I said id toss each of them a brick! They both betrayed and threw me under the bus at various times to the point where i wont even visit my old mother in the nursing home. I was a good son btw unlike my siblings involved with crime drugs sex alcohol whom they doted on. I got my degree got married had kids which they barely aknowledged, even saved their house from foreclosure. I know honor thy father and mother, im also a good christian but maybe i was good and it reminded them how truly sucky as parents they were. Ive had other people agree with me that knew them
There need to be stricter laws and punishment for this kind of thing. This is heartbreaking. This is beyond cruel. The devil runs rampant in this country. They should send monthly inspectors to these places. You can't fix this. This has happened many times before all over the U.S.
Absolutely unacceptable!!! It took a long time to shut them down after they forged doctor signatures, held bodies until they rot away & they decide to cremate???? Cockroaches and maggots?? I felt like I just listened to a summary of a Wes Craven/Stephen King novel!! I can't imagine the pain of having to bury a loved one and have something like that to deal with at the same time. Michigan really need to get their stuff together!!!!
This is so unacceptable, the state should have looked into that alot sooner, especially after all the complaints, maybe money under the table at least from the City maybe. Some of these Funeral homes are crooks, high dollar business, Thats for sure. The costs are way over what they should be. Get buried simply, in a blanket, in the ground, simple and not expensive. After your dead you sure dont know it anyway, funerals are more for the living than the dead. I dont understand some people, they dont have much to do with the person, when they are alive, but as soon as their dead gotta put on the dog, beautiful casket, flowers galore etc, ect, not this family , but some families do that, kind of hypocritical if you ask me, also very sad. One thing about death, we all are layed out together good and bad, death the great equalizer. These people deserve justice, and the Swansons deserve prison time!!! I took care of my dear mother in our home for 20 years, and Thank God the funeral home that took care of her was decent and upstanding who have been in business and been in charge of all my famiys funeral arrangements, (they always go the extra mile on every aspect ) since I was a child in the 50s and they will take care of my husband & I when its our time. Im sure glad I dont live in Flint, and those crooks should be glad too. Id sue them for all they have and more, I certainly hope someone can get to the bottom of this and help this family, or others who have been scammed by this guy or guys. Good luck to those who can ever get this years and years of a mixed up mess cleared up!
When I use to live in Tennessee, there was a funeral director by the name of Bobby Sykes who threw garbage in people's caskets, took their caskets off of them and burried them without the casket they paid for, and did a whole bunch of other things that wasn't at all right. They caught up with him, and he did time in prison, believe he died there just last year, 2017.
Are they also investigating the hospice workers & if they had any connection to the funeral home? For a hospice worker to recommend a home because they 'had a quick turn over' sounds a bit suspicious to me. Wonder if they get a kick back for every body they direct to them.
They need to tear it down now. That place look creepy as hell when u ride by it. Especially when u look in the windows and see the pictures of people that say “now viewing” 😖
That not the only funeral home doing shady stuff!! MANY are doing gross stuff, stacking bodies rotting, putting many and cremation practices that they just pass out whom evers ashes to families....they will let you watch the cremation of your loved one for an additional fee....do it.
Saw a movie where Kevin Bacon was an escort for a military funeral. There ya go. Hold home services. Then go with them to the crematory. Watch the whole damn thing.
Are any funeral homes in Michigan doing what they should. This is only one of several others in Michigan who have let bodies rot, stored bodies of babies, and neglected to creamate.
How is this even acceptable!!! This is disgusting!!! This poor family, all these families...why did they not call the police when they were locked in the room, take pictures!!!!
Many people have lacked the human touch and things will become worse. "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Matthew 24:12, the Holy Bible.
@@captainkeyboard1007 I am. but im pretty calm most of the time. but nobody should be doing that to the remains of others. shitty parts of the human race that shouldnt exist.
This is so ulgy, your already hurting and to think of this happening to someone you love is pass terrible. He should have lost his license. How in the world can ANYBODY disresepct the dead? I think if you do, your cursing yourself. Good this story came out, to expose him and to make sure your loved ones are treated with descenty. I pray that all familys who have encountered such a thing, is compensated for their pain. God bless!
I have been recommending Swanson's services to families since 2004 and I'm just now seeing this after being away from Detroit for over 12 yrs and I am just blown away about this..there is 2 funeral homes who are facing the same like issues here in Mobile AL the difference is they cremated the bodies and resold the caskets and put boxes in the ground. It's very sad and the government has shut both funeral homes down.
This seems to be happening in a lot of funeral homes, how are they getting away with this?? I can't believe what I am hearing. I guess the penalties aren't strong enough for the people who got caught. They need to make laws for this type of thing, put them in jail. They are taking money from ins companies, isn't that fraud??
I never ever liked that funeral home. how bout the father funeral on Mack in Detroit just got shut down for the same allegations 2 weeks ago April 2018
I feel bad for this family. That funeral home should be doing their job right. They sure as heckk want enough money for their services! My condolences on your loss! 🌹
You do a direct cremation deal with the crematorium. You ask to be present at the cremation. Some places will even let you press the button on the cremation machine if you wish. You can then wait till it's done and leave that day with the ashes. Check in your state and do a home funeral followed by a natural burial. You don't have to have the deceased embalmed. As long as they are interred within 48 to 72 hours there is no need for it or refrigeration. Learn about your rights when it comes to your deceased loved ones. You will be better off and happier for it.
This is disgusting! That mom sad to say is probably decomposing in one of those garages. How awful. I mean if your in that business why not do what your supposed to do and PAID to do?! This is the third funeral home I have heard about with these types of situations going on...did it suddenly become super expensive for the owner or are they so disgusting that they think these operations are ok?? What is going on??
You can escort the body the entite time. Home services. Escort to forest burial (3.5 feet is safe for all) or to crematory retort. See Ask a Mortician.
My uncle donated his body to science in Mississippi. He had been battling cancer for years. First they couldn't find his body. Then they sent her ashes that was a woman. She demanded his ashes. And they refused to tell the other family who had my Uncles ashes unstead of the womans. Eventually she got my uncle's ashes after she mailed the womans ashes back to them. Since this my mother has decided not to do the same thing my uncle did. It was such a sickening feeling.
What the son did was this, he would let the bodies pile up and then he would take them to a crematorium for a mass cremation and then give whatever remains to the families and they never got their loved ones complete. It was cheaper for him to cremate them two to a chamber than one individual.
You CAN stay with the body the ENTIRE TIME like military. Do a home wake. Don't need embalming. Forest burial or cremation. Cheap. Easy. And you CAN escort to the retort (the cremation oven) too. I stf would.
Their commercial had a jingle...goes like this.."Swanson Funeral Home, The House Of Personal Service" more like, :House Of Horrible Filth and Greedy Bastards" Smfh :(
What is with the posters in the windows of the funeral home? Publicity shots of the dearly departed? I think that is one fact that was overlooked in this report. Beyond weird.
The crematories use twist ties to secure the plastic bag that holds the cremains. Also a disc with a number is attached to the bag for ID purposes. Most crematories have a long paper trail to make sure the right remains are cremated and returned to the family in a hard plastic box and white cardboard box (temporary urn) with labels of the name , address and phone number of the crematory, ID number and deceases name.
I send my love & healing to you. YOU DID NOT DO WRONG BY YOUR MOM! That's a hard time to start youare supposed to be able to trust these people as ,I know very different, but when someone hires an expensive wedding planner & then you don't need to worry during just a wedding. But yeah, that's horrible. They'll have to face the Lord & where they go...But I'd just bless the ashes if you have them & scatter them & pray/speak to your mum & if not, whomevers ashes you have & pray to the universe that its done for your mum. I see its been some time now. I'd start, if you haven't, a support group on fbook/social media & you could look up deaths that were posted in papers & held possibly there. Then just have everyone pray & you can heal together knowing perhaps one of you have done a blessing w/the ashes or that they all are aware. God Bless. Xx
The bereaved needed that encouragement. Woe to those workers in that Swanson Funeral Home. Instead of "talking" to her mother who is already dead and is unconscious of anything happening right now and cannot see, nor hear, nor smell, nor taste, the bereaved need to talk to Gracious Great God, even Jesus Christ, who does hear and talk to us. Our loving Lord can do lots of things that people cannot do by themselves.
Call yourself a funeral director and you can literally get away with murder. Frickin' disgusting. I dont understand why there aren't clear and definite regulations as to who can and cannot be funeral directors, morticians and assistants. Why aren't these places subject to inspections. Restaurants are but these places aren't. Just disgusting.
NO MATTER IF THE SON OR THE FATHER ARE IN COMPANY OR NOT... THEY SHOULD ALL BE CHARGED, FOR THE SAME OFFENCE... IT'S ALL ONE FAMILY... CHARGE THEM ALL ... THAT'S HORRIBLE WAY TO RUN A FUNERAL HOME... ALL THEY WANTED WAS THE MONEY...
I'm here in Indiana and the woman in my pic passed away on Sept 3rd 2016 and it took til Nov 18 to get her body back and I'm pretty sure I don't have the right ashes either....My name is Emma
You can be with the body the ENTIRE time. Like the military. Home service. Escort body to the first burial or crematory and yeah you CAN be there for it.
