A Texas-based funeral home has recently come under scrutiny after a video revealing its deplorable conditions went viral. The video, filmed by a distressed family member of a deceased individual, was taken inside Richardson Mortuary in Houston, Texas. The footage, which was shared on social media, showed several bodies seemingly neglected and haphazardly placed throughout the facility. This led to an investigation by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
The video was initially posted by a family member of one of the deceased. Following its posting, several other concerned family members arrived at the mortuary, anxious about the state of their loved ones inside. One woman reportedly identified her own grandmother in the video, who she claimed was supposed to have already been cremated.
The situation escalated when the individual filming the video was allegedly stabbed by an employee of the mortuary. The alleged victim, who was not named, told local Fox affiliate KRIV that he was taking himself to the hospital. Police informed KRIV that the man had only suffered a superficial wound to the stomach and suggested that the employee may have been acting in self-defense. An investigation into the stabbing is currently ongoing.
The alleged victim’s sister, Tamara McGruder, spoke to several outlets about the conditions inside Richardson Mortuary. McGruder and her brother, who filmed the viral video, had visited the funeral home to check on the status of their mother and uncle. Upon their arrival, they discovered several bodies haphazardly stored throughout the building, which was reportedly undergoing construction. None of the rooms, including those where bodies were being kept, had functioning air conditioning. Some bodies were out in the open, while others were in caskets or plastic body bags.
Murita Brown, another family member, recognized her grandmother’s burial outfit in the video. She told KTRK that her grandmother was supposed to have been cremated the previous month. Demtrious Riley-Sylvester also shared her distress with KRIV, stating that the mortuary had falsely informed her family that her brother’s remains had been cremated.
Harris County Precinct 7 Constable Smokie Phillips confirmed to KTRK that he knew the business owner personally, who was reportedly in the hospital after suffering a heart attack. Phillips also confirmed that the owner had allowed the bodies to be transferred to other funeral homes. Over the past decade, Richardson Mortuary has been the subject of 14 complaints.