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Funeral home directors are supposed to make the proper arrangements to send loved ones to the afterlife. Unfortunately, Meghan Hess misunderstood the assignment. Now, she is paying the piper after some dirty deeds that have landed her in extremely hot water.
Funeral Home Director Gone Wrong
Meghan Hess operated a funeral home in Colorado, according to The New York Times. Along with her mother, Shirley Koch, the two concocted a scheme to sell the body parts of the deceased. This all started in 2010 when Meghan became the head of Donor Services, a “nonprofit body broker service.” Furthermore, this included Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors who organized basic funeral services. Once loved ones passed, Meghan would sometimes obtain permission to use tissue/tumors. However, she did not always have the right to use the tissue. More so, Meghan had a tendency to not even ask in the first place.
After they had the bodies in their possession, Meghan and Shirley would then sell the body parts of the deceased. To make matters worse, they would hand off cremations or what families believed to be the remains of their loved ones. Rather, it was not to be. By selling off the body parts, including heads, arms, and full bodies, the funeral home became the cheapest in the area. Clearly, business boomed but not for the right reasons. This went on until 2018.
What Happens Next?
Meghan and her mother were first arrested in 2020, according to People. The crime: “illegally selling body parts or entire bodies without the consent of the family of the deceased.” When the families discovered what the funeral home director had been doing, they were appalled. A few spoke to various news outlets and shared their dismay over the incident. They said that they did not even know if the remains that they held onto were their loved ones. Additionally, the thought of what may have happened in the home to their family made them sick. It was claimed Meghan was sending the body parts to those using them for “scientific, medical, or educational purposes.”
However, she did initially plead guilty. Now, she is facing up to twenty years in prison for her role in this heinous crime. Eight criminal charges have since been dropped since she accepted a plea deal. “I exceeded the scope of the consent and I’m trying to make an effort to make it right. I’m taking responsibility,” Meghan shared. Her next hearing is set for July 12th. What do you think of this story and do you think twenty years is enough? Let us know in the comments below.