Lambert could not be reached for comment Wednesday, and his attorney did not return phone calls.

 

LINK TO VIDEO:

 http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_west_valley/sun_city/valley-funeral-home-owner-disturbed-by-abc15-investigation

 

Arizona law states that if a crematory is unable to cremate human remains after taking them into custody, they should maintain or store any of the remains in a secure holding facility at 38 degrees.

Thomas said not only were the bodies not refrigerated but the containers of remains were actually stacked, allowing the remains to be exposed if the containers fell open.

Maggots were also seen on the boxes and the surrounding floor.

"If you are unable to refrigerate them you leave them with the funeral homes or seek assistance from another source," Thomas said. "Lambert kept accepting the bodies from different funeral homes despite the fact that he couldn't take care of them."

Lambert told board members Tuesday night that he was trying to do the best he could. As the sole cremationist, Lambert only had help transporting the bodies to and from the crematory, Thomas said. Lambert also serves as the funeral home director.

Thomas said that Lambert was averaging about 15 cremations a day before the bodies started to pile up.

Last month a repairmen working to replace the windshield of Lambert's van, which is used to transport remains, noticed a strong smell coming from the vehicle and called police.

Thomas said that officials were not able take action at the time because no crime had been committed. The Arizona State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers is responsible for the jurisdiction and regulation concerning crematories.

After an anonymous tip to a local television station, Thomas was shown pictures and video depicting bodies outside in vans, instead of in a refrigerator system. The pictures also showed maggots on the crematory floor.

Thomas went to investigate and found that Lambert had cremated all of the bodies, leaving nothing out of the ordinary.

When presented with the photographic evidence against him, Lambert did not deny any of the allegations and just stated that he was doing the best that he could, Thomas said.

In a unanimous decision on Tuesday, the board approved a consent agreement that would revoke Lambert's crematory license and his cremationist license, which allows him to perform cremations. Lambert would also be required to pay a $3,000 civil fine plus administrative costs.

Thomas said Lambert will have 30 days to respond to the agreement or he will go before a formal hearing, in which more action could be taken against him.

Thomas said that this is the second issue of negligence to happen in the last seven months involving crematories.

"We had an issue in October with cremations in Bisbee," he said. "The cremations were only being partly cremated."

Calls into the Bisbee police department alerted officials that there were readily identified skulls and bones being thrown into open pits in Bisbee cemetery. Because of the solid remains police classified this incident as a crime scene.

Thomas said that the partially cremated remains were being thrown into the cemetery, instead of being properly taken care of.

"In situations like this, the loved ones are entrusting the funeral homes," Thomas said. "The trust just wasn't carried out."

State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers chief Rudy Thomas told the Arizona Republic: 'We were completely appalled. I was surprised and embarrassed for the industry because this is not the norm.'

Witnesses told local news programme ABC15 they had seen maggots swarming the crematory floor, while black smoke could clearly be seen rising from the Crematory during the broadcast.

Undercover reporters caught Lambert leaving bodies in his van overnight and, in one case, taking another van full of corpses home with him at the end of the work day.

Lambert told reporters he was 'doing the best' he could because he didn't have room in his refrigerator.

At a funeral directors board meeting on Tuesday, Lambert said he was averaging 15 cremations a day.

He said bodies began piling up because he did not have any help. 

The board slapped Lambert with 19 violations, revoked his crematory license and license to perform cremations.

He was also ordered him to pay a $3,000 fine.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1388822/Crematory-owner-busted-stacking-corpses-vans-cars.html#ixzz1Mq2qhCGA