Illinois, Indiana families announce new lawsuits against Crown Cremation, Chicago Heights Crematory for mishandling remains
Share this @internewscast.com

CHICAGO (WLS) — Attorneys announced more civil lawsuits Thursday against crematoriums in Chicago Heights and Crown Point, Indiana.

The facilities are accused of negligence and gross mishandling of human remains.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

The initial lawsuit was filed in April. Subsequently, others came forward, raising concerns that their loved ones’ remains might have been mishandled as well.

The new lawsuits from Illinois and Indiana families were announced during a press conference Thursday morning in Chicago

A widow from Munster, Indiana sued the two cremation businesses last month.

She says they mishandled her late husband’s remains.

Darla Smith’s husband, Darryl, died last August.

The lawsuit alleges that Crown Cremation in Indiana transferred her husband’s remains to Heights Crematory in Illinois, where they were not properly refrigerated and remained uncremated for almost three weeks.

“I can’t say for certain if the remains I received are truly my husband’s,” Darla Smith stated. “That was also the first question my children asked when I told them. Is it their father?”

Heights Crematory was recently shut down by the state, after 100 bodies were found.

They were improperly stored.

Neither crematorium has commented on the lawsuit.

“In the weeks since Darla Smith’s lawsuit was filed, we’ve experienced a tidal wave of calls and emails from distressed families,” attorney Gabriel Hawkins said. “It appears that reports in the media thus far are not isolated incidents for periods of a few weeks, but again appear part of a much broader and disturbing pattern.”

Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Here's when 'Stranger Things' Season 5 drops on Netflix

Release Date Announced for ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 on Netflix

As fans eagerly anticipate the conclusion of Netflix’s beloved sci-fi saga “Stranger…
CBP finds enormous meth haul stashed in Mexican lettuce in truck at Texas crossing

CBP Uncovers Massive Methamphetamine Cache Concealed in Mexican Lettuce Shipment at Texas Border Crossing

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have intercepted what they suspect…
ICE seeking to deport 'criminal' illegal immigrant who allegedly threw coffee on baby, mother and dog

ICE Pursues Deportation of Illegal Immigrant Accused of Assault with Hot Coffee on Baby, Mother, and Dog

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is actively pursuing the deportation…
Chicago travel: Travelers pack O'Hare, Midway airports ahead of Thanksgiving

Travel Surge at Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway Airports as Thanksgiving Approaches

CHICAGO (WLS) — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is gearing up for…
Rev Jesse Jackson released from hospital after treatment for rare brain disorder

Rev. Jesse Jackson Discharged from Hospital Following Treatment for Rare Neurological Condition

Rev. Jesse Jackson, a stalwart figure in the civil rights movement, has…
Charlotte GOP chair says mayor creates perception that 'does not match the reality' amid violent crime wave

Charlotte GOP Chair Criticizes Mayor for Mismatched Perception and Reality Amid Surge in Violent Crime

Violent crime in Charlotte, North Carolina, is stirring political controversy, with Republicans…
Aurora, IL shooting: Bryan Heineman, Jazmine Barclay dead in shooting during concert inside Two Brothers Roundhouse, police say

Tragic Shooting at Aurora’s Two Brothers Roundhouse Leaves Two Dead During Concert

In a tragic turn of events in Aurora, Illinois, a deadly shooting…
Federal judges overseeing high-profile court cases in Chicago area, nationwide facing uptick in threats

Rising Threats Target Federal Judges in Chicago and Across the U.S.

CHICAGO (WLS) — Officials from the federal judiciary are voicing concerns about…
FBI nabs Florida man with alleged plan to livestream neo-Nazi terror attack; graphic Signal messages recovered

FBI Thwarts Florida Man’s Chilling Neo-Nazi Attack Plot: Disturbing Details Uncovered

A man from Florida has been arrested following an FBI investigation that…
Adam Erkan pleads guilty to battery in attack on Jewish students on DePaul University Lincoln Park campus

Adam Erkan Admits Guilt in Assault Case Involving Jewish Students at DePaul University

CHICAGO – More than a year after a violent attack on the…
Duffy identifies Chicago train victim as 26-year-old Bethany MaGee while blasting city's 'carelessness'

Beloved Small-Town Native Bethany MaGee Identified as Victim in Chicago Train Incident

A young woman from Chicago, just 26 years old, has become the…
Thomas Massie: 'Israel Influencing the Epstein File Release'

Thomas Massie Claims Israeli Influence in Delay of Jeffrey Epstein File Release

Congressman Thomas Massie raised serious concerns about the influential forces surrounding the…