More than 50 human remains were discovered decomposing inside a Chicago funeral home in what authorities described as “deplorable conditions” — months after neighbors reportedly complained about a disturbing stench coming from the building.

The shocking discovery was made Thursday at South Chicago Chapel, where authorities found bodies being improperly stored in an unrefrigerated area.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office said the remains were in various stages of decomposition when investigators arrived.

State and local officials alerted the medical examiner’s office about the conditions inside the funeral home, prompting investigators and forensic pathologists to respond to the scene.

Officials are now working to identify the deceased and determine how the remains came to be stored in such conditions.

“Staff is assessing the conditions of the remains,” the medical examiner’s office said, explaining that investigators were also searching for identification records and death certificates.

The process could take several days, officials said, as authorities work to properly identify each person and determine how their remains should be handled.

Families will be notified once identifications are confirmed.

The discovery came after residents in the neighborhood had reportedly complained for months about a foul odor coming from the funeral home.

Some neighbors said the smell had become impossible to ignore and prompted complaints to city officials.

On Friday, police clarified that an earlier statement incorrectly indicated that fire department officials had declared the location a hazardous-materials incident.

No arrests have been announced.

Chicago police said detectives are continuing to investigate the disturbing circumstances surrounding the remains.

Outside the funeral home Friday, a small group of residents and people seeking answers about deceased relatives gathered near the brick building.

Among them was Latasha Johnson, 55, who said her mother’s funeral had actually taken place at South Chicago Chapel on Thursday — shortly before authorities discovered the shocking conditions.

Johnson said she later learned that her mother’s remains would need to undergo an autopsy.

She was told she would likely have to identify the remains within the next day or two.

“I’m discombobulated,” Johnson said. “My heart is broken.”

Blaise Von Bruchhaeuser, who described herself as a community advocate, said she was particularly disturbed that residents had reportedly been raising concerns about the smell for months before authorities uncovered the decomposing remains.

The funeral home’s ownership history has now come under scrutiny.

Illinois business records show that funeral director Johanna Morgan incorporated South Chicago Chapel Inc. in 2022.

Her funeral director’s license was temporarily suspended Wednesday by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

State regulators said the suspension followed a finding that Morgan’s continued practice posed a danger to public safety.

According to the department, multiple deceased individuals had allegedly been kept in an unrefrigerated area under “deplorable conditions.”

Regulators also cited a rodent infestation and the decomposition and maggot infestation of bodies.

State records identify Clark Morgan as the funeral home’s president and say he is Johanna Morgan’s husband.

His funeral director license was revoked in 2024 after state officials found that he had been practicing with an expired license and had engaged in “unprofessional conduct.” Authorities did not specify the conduct involved.

The couple’s previous business dealings have added another disturbing layer to the investigation.

Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza said Friday that Johanna and Clark Morgan previously operated a crematory in Chicago Heights.

That facility had its license revoked last year after authorities discovered improperly stored bodies as well as hundreds of cremated remains that had allegedly never been returned to grieving families.

“Horrified. Again,” Mendoza said in a statement.

She called the discovery of decomposing remains awaiting burial at the South Side funeral home “heartbreaking” and an “abomination.”

“These are people — someone’s mother, father, sister, brother, child or friend, and they deserve better,” Mendoza said.

Court records in Cook County show that both Johanna and Clark Morgan have been named defendants in lawsuits connected to Heights Crematory.

Messages seeking comment were reportedly left for the couple and for an attorney identified in court records as their business agent.

Public records indicate the Morgans live in Evergreen Park, a suburb southwest of Chicago.

The South Chicago Chapel investigation is still underway, and authorities have not announced any arrests or criminal charges.

The case is also the latest in a troubling string of discoveries involving improperly handled human remains at funeral homes across the US.

Last month, two men were arrested in Pueblo, Colorado, after authorities allegedly found at least two dozen decomposing bodies and other remains behind a hidden door at a funeral home.

In 2024, authorities discovered 18 bodies in various stages of decomposition at a financially troubled funeral home in Georgia.

A year earlier, nearly 200 decomposing bodies were found inside a Colorado building connected to a funeral home.

Another 31 decomposing bodies were discovered at an Indiana funeral home in 2022.

For families connected to South Chicago Chapel, however, the latest discovery is far more personal — leaving grieving relatives demanding answers about how their loved ones were treated after death.

Source: nypost.com