A funeral home owner in Colorado is due to appear in court to enter a plea after being accused of disturbing misconduct. The owner allegedly left a woman’s body in the back of a hearse for more than a year and improperly stored over 30 cremated remains. Miles Harford, 34, is set to plead to two counts of forgery, one count of abuse of a corpse, and one count of theft during an arraignment in a Denver state court.
The discovery of the remains was made during an eviction in February when authorities found the body of Christina Rosales, who passed away at the age of 63 due to Alzheimer’s, covered in blankets inside the hearse. Additionally, 35 cremated remains were reportedly hidden around the property, from the hearse to the crawlspace. This incident is just one in a series of prosecutions involving funeral homes in Colorado over the past decade, including cases of illegal sale of body parts and improper handling of bodies.
Colorado’s funeral home regulations have historically been considered relatively weak compared to other states. However, these cases have prompted reforms in the industry. Governor Jared Polis signed two bills this year to enhance oversight in the sector, aligning Colorado’s regulations with those of most other states.
This development highlights the importance of maintaining stringent regulations and oversight in the funeral industry to ensure respectful and ethical treatment of the deceased and their remains. The upcoming court proceedings will shed more light on the details of this shocking case and the extent of the alleged misconduct by the funeral home owner.