Latest news with #unclaimedBodies
CBC
6 days ago
- General
- CBC
On other side of province, another group is trying to bring home one of N.L.'s unclaimed bodies
Residents in Newfoundland and Labrador are trying hard to bring home unclaimed bodies from long-term storage at a hospital in St. John's. Julia Hall of Labrador City has been working to claim Mario Boucher so that he can be buried in his own community. And although she didn't know Boucher personally, she said she would often see him walking around the town. "We're Labradorians, we stick together," Hall told CBC News. "Let's bring him home." Boucher died in April. He was 66 years old. He worked at a shopping centre in the community, according to Hall. "Everyone had nothing but good things to say about him. You know, he was hard working, he was kind," she said. "A lot of people commented saying that he would always come and help bring their garbage out." The provincial government launched a website last week that lists the names, ages and locations of the bodies waiting in long-term storage freezers. It's a legislative piece meant to connect next of kin with a deceased loved one, and speed up the process of having the bodies buried. Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services will hold a body for two weeks before listing it on the website. After five days on the website, and if nobody comes forward, the health authority will handle the burial along with a funeral home. It's that website where Hall recognized Boucher's name. Hall says she's been in contact with the extended family of Boucher's spouse. The family isn't able to claim the remains, she said, because of illness and other logistical issues. Hall applied for the provincial government's funeral assistance program, which she says would provide about $2,500. She was told it can take about three months before she receives any funds. She has also considered the idea of fundraising for cremation, flying the remains back to Labrador City and a headstone, and would donate any remaining money to a hospital in Boucher's memory. Hall said she's waiting for confirmation from NLHS that she can claim the remains. "I think he was just one of those people that just wanted to help other people," Hall said. She's hoping to return the favour. On the island, two business owners in Conception Bay North set out on their own effort last week to bring home the body of a fellow community member for a funeral. Rendell Crane of Harbour Grace died in 2023, and now restaurateur Pauline Yetman and others want to see him buried next to his wife. Monitoring the situation Meanwhile, Newfoundland and Labrador's seniors' advocate says she's been assured that "the best interest of these deceased seniors is being met" by NLHS. All but two of the bodies in long-term storage right now died as seniors. On Tuesday, Susan Walsh said she had confirmation that the bodies will return to their home communities for burial. "I can assure the community that I will continue to monitor this situation to ensure that the burial of deceased unclaimed seniors under the responsibility of N.L. Health Services is being managed in a respectful and appropriate manner," she wrote in a media release. Walsh said permanent grave markers with the person's name will be erected where they're buried, and staff are being hired to do that work. "With the new process and timelines outlined in legislation, this unfortunate situation should be resolved going forward," Walsh said. The situation of unclaimed remains ending up in long-term storage freezers isn't new for Newfoundland and Labrador. A court application from 2022 shows the remains of a Shearstown woman, who died in 2009, weren't claimed until 13 years later. A man by the same last name became the executor of her estate at the time. Three of the bodies currently in storage have been there since 2022, six since 2023, 11 since 2024 and six since the beginning of 2025. The youngest is Vence Junior Roberts, who died at 60 years old in Robert's Arm in May, 2024. Maurice Brewster of Conception Bay South was the oldest. The 91-year-old died at the Health Sciences Centre in St. John's. The majority of the people — 19 of 26 — died in health-care facilities or care homes. Here are the identities of the remaining individuals: Henry James Lewis, 70, died in January 2022 at St. Clare's Mercy Hospital. Leonard William Brandt, 71, died in November 2022 in St. John's. Chryssanthos Anagnostopoulos, 73, died in December 2022 in St. John's. Roy Melvin Cromwell, 84, died in May 2023 at St. Clare's Mercy Hospital. Reginald Charles Stuckless, 62, died in August 2023 at the Dr. L.A. Miller Centre. Mark Thomas Henderson, 66, died in November 2023 at the Health Sciences Centre. Irene Elizabeth Sveikauskas, 71, died in December 2023 at Pleasant View Towers. Eric Hayward, 79, died in January 2024 at St. Clare's Mercy Hospital. Herbert Paul, 67, died in May 2024 at the Health Sciences Centre. Leif Erick Olafsson, 71, died at Carbonear General Hospital. Edgar Osbourne, 78, died in June 2024 at the Baie Verte Peninsula Health Centre. Jerry Lynn Hinton, 69, died in July 2024 at the Dr. L.A. Miller Centre. Benedict Seymour, 74, died in October 2024 at the Agnes Pratt Home. Keith Mackenzie Smith, 77, died in October 2024 in Gooseberry Cove. Irene Marie Mills, 83, died in October 2024 at Carbonear General Hospital. Kevin Loyola Reardon, 72, died in November 2024 in St. John's. Julie Ethel Kean, 81, died in December 2024 at the Agnes Pratt Home. Bernice Coombs, 77, died in January 2025 at the Pte. Josiah Squibb Memorial Pavilion. Suzanne Caroline Bennett, 62, died in February 2025 in St. John's. Samuel Joseph Whitten, 74, died in February 2025 at the Health Sciences Centre. Walter Edgar Butler, 88, died in February 2025 at St. Clare's Mercy Hospital.
CBC
27-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Process to bury unclaimed bodies will be 'seamless,' says NLHS
Four months after legislation came into effect to speed up the process of burying dozens of unclaimed bodies that are being held in freezers at a hospital in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador's health authority says the plan is nearly ready. Earlier this month, CBC News reported Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services hadn't buried a single body since legislation came into effect. "What's held it up is, really, us mobilizing around the new regulations, getting all the processes in place," Ron Johnson, chief operating officer of the NLHS eastern-urban zone, told reporters on Monday. Johnson said NLHS has issued a tender in search of a funeral home to partner with the health authority to handle the burials. The tender closes on June 10, and he expects it to be awarded before June 13. Johnson said he anticipates the burials will be a "seamless process." WATCH | Here are the steps that must be taken to try and identify an unclaimed body: New website to help connect unclaimed remains and next of kin online soon, says NLHS 13 hours ago Duration 1:16 There is a new process when it comes to burying unclaimed bodies in Newfoundland and Labrador. While legislation came into effect at the start of this year, there have been no burials. But as the CBC's Elizabeth Whitten reports, the province's health authority vows that is changing. According to the amended legislation, which was filed on Dec. 24 and came into effect on Jan. 1, NLHS has the power to bury unclaimed bodies after two weeks of searching for next of kin and then five days after the person is posted on a dedicated website. Johnson said the health authority will then work with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to validate they have done their due diligence in trying to find the next of kin. "And then we can do a proper burial that's with dignity and respect," he said. Website launch The website meant to help connect families with their deceased loved ones is expected to launch this week, as per the legislation. The site will be publicly accessible, contain names and some additional information "to see if anyone is going to come forward," Johnson said. CBC News first reported the health authority was storing bodies in freezer units in an alleyway on hospital property more than a year ago. It was due to a lack of space in the morgue, which doubles as the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Over the summer, NLHS relocated the freezers to the hospital's underground parking garage and built a wall around it. The initial story reported that 28 bodies were in storage at the time. As of Monday morning, Johnson said there were 26 bodies in long-term storage. However, he said, he expects there won't be a build up in long-term storage and it won't be a persistent problem. "I think the new regulations and the processes in place, the new facility, all of it together — we should be able to do this better and quicker."
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Process to bury unclaimed bodies will be 'seamless,' says NLHS
Four months after legislation came into effect to speed up the process of burying dozens of unclaimed bodies that are being held in freezers at a hospital in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador's health authority says the plan is nearly ready. Earlier this month, CBC News reported Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services hadn't buried a single body since legislation came into effect. "What's held it up is, really, us mobilizing around the new regulations, getting all the processes in place," Ron Johnson, chief operating officer of the NLHS eastern-urban zone, told reporters on Monday. Johnson said NLHS has issued a tender in search of a funeral home to partner with the health authority to handle the burials. The tender closes on June 10, and he expects it to be awarded before June 13. Johnson said he anticipates the burials will be a "seamless process." WATCH | Here are the steps that must be taken to try and identify an unclaimed body: According to the amended legislation, which was filed on Dec. 24 and came into effect on Jan. 1, NLHS has the power to bury unclaimed bodies after two weeks of searching for next of kin and then five days after the person is posted on a dedicated website. Johnson said the health authority will then work with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to validate they have done their due diligence in trying to find the next of kin. "And then we can do a proper burial that's with dignity and respect," he said. The website meant to help connect families with their deceased loved ones is expected to launch this week, as per the legislation. The site will be publicly accessible, contain names and some additional information "to see if anyone is going to come forward," Johnson said. CBC News first reported the health authority was storing bodies in freezer units in an alleyway on hospital property more than a year ago. It was due to a lack of space in the morgue, which doubles as the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Over the summer, NLHS relocated the freezers to the hospital's underground parking garage and built a wall around it. The initial story reported that 28 bodies were in storage at the time. As of Monday morning, Johnson said there were 26 bodies in long-term storage. However, he said, he expects there won't be a build up in long-term storage and it won't be a persistent problem. "I think the new regulations and the processes in place, the new facility, all of it together — we should be able to do this better and quicker." Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page.
CBC
26-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
New website to help connect unclaimed remains and next of kin online soon, says NLHS
There is a new process when it comes to burying unclaimed bodies in Newfoundland and Labrador. While legislation came into effect at the start of this year, there have been no burials. But as the CBC's Elizabeth Whitten reports, the province's health authority vows that is changing.
CBC
16-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Unclaimed bodies remain in N.L. hospital freezers, despite legislative changes
The provincial government changed legislation to help bury unclaimed bodies kept in freezer units at the Health Sciences Centre. Four months later, none of those remains have been buried. The CBC's Elizabeth Whitten explains.
