CHILLING

Bodies of 11 Babies Found Hidden in Shuttered Funeral Home

Police say most of the remains had been dumped into a cardboard box and placed in a ceiling.

The remains of 11 babies were found stowed away in the ceiling of a Detroit funeral home shut down by state inspectors in April due to its “deplorable conditions.” The discovery was made late Friday after an anonymous letter reportedly tipped off state regulators about the hidden bodies at the Cantrell Funeral Home. “Nine infants were boxed together in a plain cardboard box, two were in a casket. It’s just very disheartening right now,” Detroit police Lt. James Demps was quoted as saying by local news station WDIV. “Some of the bodies had a tag on referring back to 2009, some had receipts on them as if the person or family didn't finish paying,” Demps said. Police are currently working with the medical examiner’s office to identify the bodies and inform relatives. State inspectors had earlier announced that the funeral home was shut down after numerous bodies were found in an unrefrigerated garage covered in “what appeared to be mold.” Raymond Cantrell, the former owner of the funeral home, denied any involvement in hiding the bodies late Friday. Speaking to WDIV, he said he was “really sorry that it happened and totally appalled.”