More Than 63 Fetuses Are Found in Funeral Homes

 

My grief and anger at this news report are immeasurable. Here’s a summary of the story:

When their daughter died 27 minutes after her birth in December 2014, a Detroit couple donated the infant’s remains for medical research. Four years later, Rachel Brown and Larry Davis don’t know what happened to Alayah’s tiny body. They’re plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed earlier this year that may help explain how the remains of 63 fetuses were discovered by police Friday in boxes and freezers at Perry Funeral Home at Warren and Trumbull on Detroit’s west side.

Estimates are that up to 200 more bodies may be found at Perry Funeral Home.

The lawsuit by Brown and Davis also alleges that babies’ bodies were stored at Wayne State University School Mortuary Science morgue for up to three years without notifying parents of their status; at least some of those parents had donated the bodies of their babies for medical research.

This is an evil nightmare that has taken place in the Detroit area. It makes me wonder if not only several businesses are complicit, but whether our larger society plays a role in these crimes. The whole case raised several questions for me:

Was there not one person in any of these businesses who felt compelled to tell the authorities what was going on? Administrators, transportation people, accountants, researchers—wasn’t there anyone who saw the ugliness and immorality of this situation?

Was no one bothered by the fact that there were countless dead babies with suffering parents who assumed the bodies were dealt with respectfully and honorably?

Although some distinctions were made in the media between fetuses and babies who were born stillborn or who died after they were born, were the workers perceiving them all as fetuses, organisms of tissue that were “less than human,” and thus the treatment of them was not relevant?

I also suspect babies might have been stuffed into boxes and freezers so that the funeral homes wouldn’t have the expense of treating these babies’ remains honorably.

We can condemn all of the people involved with these organizations and now watch on the sidelines to see how the details unfold. But how many in our society are complicit, too? Does our society believe these violations are not all that serious if mainly fetuses were involved? Is there that little reverence for life and death? Is there no compassion for the losses the parents are likely going to experience all over again, for those whose babies are identified and for those whose babies are never found?

Lastly, I suspect that our lack of spirituality and religiosity are also to blame. Life is no longer precious, death is an inconvenience.

When we lose our Spirit, we lose our souls.

Published in Culture
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There are 6 comments.

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  1. Jules PA Inactive
    Jules PA
    @JulesPA

    This mistreatment of deceased infant  bodies is sickening, shocking and disturbing. 

    Sadly, I find myself unsurprised since so many people can’t find the morality to protect and defend the LIFE of a live baby inside the womb, let alone the body of a deceased one. 

    • #1
  2. Jules PA Inactive
    Jules PA
    @JulesPA

    I would have serious questions for the “medical research” community, as to what exactly their research hoped to achieve.

    • #2
  3. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Jules PA (View Comment):

    I would have serious questions for the “medical research” community, as to what exactly their research hoped to achieve.

    Technically I can’t speak for them, but I think they sometimes investigate causes of death that were undetermined for stillborn babies or those who die shortly after birth. I’m not saying I support it, but I’m guessing that’s the thinking.

    • #3
  4. Scott Wilmot Member
    Scott Wilmot
    @ScottWilmot

    It may sound odd for such a horrific story, but beautifully written, Susan. Thank you.

    Susan Quinn: This is an evil nightmare that has taken place in the Detroit area.

    Evil indeed. Demonic. Satan is real yet so many ignore his existence.

    Susan Quinn: Although some distinctions were made in the media between fetuses and babies

    It is diabolical when the left uses “science” (fetuses) to push their cause at times and ignore science (sex/”gender”) when it fits their agenda. I am sick of this.

    Susan Quinn:

    Lastly, I suspect that our lack of spirituality and religiosity are also to blame. Life is no longer precious, death is an inconvenience.

    When we lose our Spirit, we lose our souls.

    Indeed. Spot on.

    Thank you again for making me aware of this story.

    May God have mercy on us.

    • #4
  5. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Scott Wilmot (View Comment):

    Thank you again for making me aware of this story.

    May God have mercy on us.

    Thanks, @scottwilmot. It was hard to write for obvious reasons, but then with the senseless and vicious attack on Pittsburgh, I almost decided to let it go. So the positive comments help a lot.

    • #5
  6. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Just clumps of cells.

    May God have mercy on us.

    • #6
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