I’m terrified I kissed empty coffin when I laid dad to rest after 35 corpses were REMOVED from ‘fraudulent’ funeral home
Families fear they were also given the ashes of strangers
A HEARTBROKEN daughter fears she “was kissing an empty coffin” when she laid her dad to rest after 35 bodies were found at a “fraudulent” funeral home.
Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull is accused of stashing corpses after another family found out the ashes of their loved one – which they used to make jewellery – could belong to someone else.
The scandal emerged after police raided the funeral parlour over “concern for care of the deceased”.
Cordons were in place at the firm’s branches on Hessle Road and Anlaby Road in Hull, and Beckside in Beverley.
Billie-Jo Suffill, 33, lost her dad Andy Suffill, 52, just a few days after her brother in July 2022.
The family used the firm for the cremation but says she “never received” her dad’s ashes.
Fearing she may be a victim of the alleged crime, mum-of-three Billie-Jo said: “I never actually got to see my dad’s body.
“I bet my dad was not even in the coffin – it was an empty coffin.
“I was kissing an empty coffin. When I think about it now it is disgusting.
“I got ashes after my brother’s funeral. But now I don’t even know if they are his ashes and I never got any from my dad.”
Humberside Police said a “quantity of what we suspect to be human ashes” was also removed from the Hessle Road site.
A 46-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman arrested in connection with the investigation have been bailed.
HUSBAND STILL IN FREEZER
It comes after a widow was allegedly told by Legacy she would have to identify the body of her dead husband eight months after she believed he had been cremated.
Three generations of women in the family – his widow, daughter and granddaughter – have all been wearing jewellery made from his supposed “ashes”.
Now they are “distraught” to learn the remains could be those of another person.
A friend of the family said: “The man died in July, last year, and after the cremation, they brought his ashes back.
“The daughter slept with them beside her bed and the family also took them to the pub for a memorial.
“They then paid quite a bit of money to have the ashes turned into crystal jewellery for his widow, daughter and granddaughter to wear to remember him.
“But now they have found out that he wasn’t cremated and he has been in the freezer all this time.
“The police have told them, that he could have only been frozen under the direction of the Coroner.
“The widow is distraught. The family thought they had his remains, and are now asking ‘if it’s not him, then who is it?’
“They are now grieving again, they have lost that closure that a funeral gives you.
“His widow has now been told by the police that she will have to go and identify the body of her dead husband – imagine that!”
I was kissing an empty coffin. When I think about it now it is disgusting
Billie-Jo Suffill
Earlier this week a mourner told the she had been informed by police that her stepfather may be one of the bodies recovered.
This is despite the family being given what they were told were his ashes a month ago.
Some fear the allegations against the funeral parlour could hit families going back 13 years.
A coroner and the family should be informed if a body is to be kept frozen.
‘A DISTRESSING TIME’
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Humberside Police Assistant Chief Constable Thom McLaughlin said: “So far, we are pursuing extensive lines of inquiry.
“And have special search and forensic teams conducting thorough searches of various business premises that are linked to the suspects that were detained this weekend.
“I can confirm that a man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of prevention of a lawful, decent burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position.
“They have since been released on police bail with conditions whilst our investigation is continuing.
“I recognise that this is a distressing time for all of those affected and I have no doubt it will have a significant impact across all our local communities and beyond.”
