Two arrested in 'care of dead' investigation at East Yorkshire funeral homes
A 46 year old man is being questioned alongside a 23 year old woman
Last updated 10th Mar 2024
Police have made two arrests as part of their investigation into how bodies were being cared four at several funeral homes in East Yorkshire.
A 46 year old man is being questioned alongside a 23 year old woman as part of the probe into Legacy Independent Funeral Directors branches in Hull and Beverley.
Dozens of bordies were removed from the Hessle Road branch of the funeral home earlier this week and placed into a mortuary in Hull.
Humberside Police Assistant Chief Constable Thom McLoughlin said: "We can confirm that a man, aged 46 and a woman, aged 23, have been arrested on suspicion of prevention of a lawful and decent burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position and remain in police custody at this time.
"As part of our investigation, as of today, we can confirm 34 deceased people have now been respectfully transported from Legacy Funeral Directors based on Hessle Road to the mortuary in Hull for formal identification procedures to take place.
"Since the report on Wednesday March 6, cordons remain in place at all three Legacy Independent Funeral Directors premises.
"The dedicated phone line remains open and has received over 350 calls from concerned members of the public since Friday.
"We continue to encourage anyone who has used Legacy Independent Funeral Directors and has concerns to call us on 0800 051 4674 or 0207 126 7619 if you are calling from abroad.
"Each call we receive is being carefully handled and delicately assessed by a specialist team to ensure we have a thorough understanding of each family's circumstances. We will get back to each and every one of you as soon as we can.
"Please be reassured that my staff and officers are working around the clock to deal with the unprecedented enquiries generated as a result of this incident.
"Families affected continue to be supported by family liaison officers at what we appreciate is an extremely distressing time for all involved.
"These officers are also working closely with our partners to ensure that families are provided with the most appropriate care and support for their personal circumstances whilst our investigation continues."