Damarco Watkins, 7, attends a vigil with other families, Aug. 30, 2026, who used South Chicago Chapel and Bohemian National Cemetery to handle the remains of deceased loved ones where over 50 decomposing bodies were discovered earlier in the month in the South Deering neighborhood. Watkins’ grandmother, Shawnese Shannon, was cremated by Planet Green Crematory, a business which has the same owner as South Chicago Chapel. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)
After receiving a complaint, police officers and a state regulator found more than 50 decomposing bodies at South Chicago Chapel in the city’s South Deering neighborhood. The complaint had reported that remains were not being properly stored at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, according to police reports.
In the wake of the discovery, authorities began an investigation into the funeral home as well as a large-scale effort to identify and examine all the remains. Community members and politicians condemned the treatment of people’s remains and called for criminal charges and more regulation of the funeral industry, while family members of the deceased grappled with the horror of what happened to their loved ones.
Families who used South Chicago Chapel and Bohemian National Cemetery to handle the remains of deceased loved ones gather outside the closed funeral home for a vigil Aug. 30, 2026, in the South Deering neighborhood. Over 50 decomposing bodies were discovered earlier in the month at the funeral home and cemetery. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)Jeffrey Fields places a sign on a door from the city of Chicago that he found hidden above a window during a vigil, Aug. 30, 2026, outside South Chicago Chapel where over 50 decomposing bodies were discovered earlier in the month in the South Deering neighborhood. Fields cousin Shawnese Shannon was cremated by Planet Green Crematory who’s also listed as an owner of South Chicago Chapel. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)Ronzelle Fort, center, releases a balloon during a vigil with other families, Aug. 30, 2026, who used South Chicago Chapel and Bohemian National Cemetery to handle the remains of deceased loved ones where over 50 decomposing bodies were discovered earlier in the month. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)Cecelia Palmer holds a photo of her sister-in-law Nicole Williams-Smith during a vigil, Aug. 30, 2026, with other families who used South Chicago Chapel and Bohemian National Cemetery to handle the remains of deceased loved ones where over 50 decomposing bodies were discovered earlier in the month. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)Marshawna Campbell holds the remains of her mother Shawnese Shannon in her hands during a vigil, Aug. 30, 2026, with other families who used South Chicago Chapel and Bohemian National Cemetery to handle the remains of deceased loved ones where over 50 decomposing bodies were discovered earlier in the month. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)Candles are displayed against a boarded-up door during a vigil, Aug. 30, 2026,outside South Chicago Chapel where over 50 decomposing bodies were discovered earlier in the month in Chicago's South Deering neighborhood. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)Workers transport a body at the scene where the remains of 57 people were discovered at a funeral home near the 2900 block of East 95th Street, Aug. 7, 2026, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)Deja Young, left, hugs Corrine Young as they wait for news on their deceased relative, Keith Young, at the Cook County medical examiner’s office on Aug. 7, 2026. Keith’s visitation had been planned for Aug. 6, 2026, but his body never showed up to the church. (Arthur Maiorella/baiduhai)Mark Ertler, director of the Cook County medical examiner’s office, speaks to the family and supporters of Keith Young outside of the office on Aug. 7, 2026. (Arthur Maiorella/baiduhai)Angela Young, Keith Young’s sister, holds up his funeral poster at the Cook County medical examiner’s office on Aug. 7, 2026, the day Keith Young’s funeral was supposed to have occurred. (Arthur Maiorella/baiduhai)The Rev. Venus Vaughn offers prayer to the family and supporters of Keith Young at the Cook County medical examiner’s office on Aug. 7, 2026. Young’s body never arrived at the church for his visitation on Aug. 6, 2026. (Arthur Maiorella/baiduhai)Latasha Johnson, 55, holds a photo of her mother, Gloria Anderson, outside South Chicago Chapel funeral home on Aug. 7, 2026. Johnson said her mother's funeral service was held there recently. (Antonio Perez/baiduhai)Workers load bodies Aug. 7, 2026, into a minivan from the South Chicago Chapel in the South Deering neighborhood. The remains of over 50 people were discovered the day before at the funeral home in the 2900 block of East 95th Street. (Antonio Perez/baiduhai)Workers remove bodies Aug. 7, 2026, from the South Chicago Chapel in the South Deering neighborhood. The remains of over 50 people were discovered the day before at the funeral home in the 2900 block of East 95th Street. (Antonio Perez/baiduhai)Chicago police enter the South Chicago Chapel funeral home where dozens of bodies were found on Aug. 6, 2026. (E. Jason Wambsgans/baiduhai)A Chicago police officer works outside the South Chicago Chapel funeral home near the 2900 block of East 95th Street, Aug. 6, 2026. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)Daceana Wright, right, talks with a police officer while trying to figure out if her mother is one of the dozens of bodies discovered at a funeral home near the 2900 block of East 95th Street, Aug. 6, 2026. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)A Chicago police officer and a city official, left, speak with two funeral home workers from Indiana-based Emmanuel Funeral Home & Cremation Services, right, on Aug. 6, 2026, who traveled to pick up a body at South Chicago Chapel funeral home. They were unable to collect the body because South Chicago Chapel is an active crime scene due to the dozens of bodies discovered there. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)Officials work outside the South Chicago Chapel funeral home where dozens of decomposed bodies were found on Aug. 6, 2026. (E. Jason Wambsgans/baiduhai)Chicago police and other officials work the scene where dozens of decomposed bodies were discovered at a funeral home near the 2900 block of East 95th Street, Aug. 6, 2026. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)Chicago police work the scene where many bodies were discovered at a funeral home near the 2900 block of East 95th Street, Aug. 6, 2026. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)Chicago police work the scene where bodies were discovered at a funeral home near the 2900 block of East 95th Street, Aug. 6, 2026. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)
