South Chicago Chapel Lawsuit:
Legal Help for the Families Impacted

Several bodies are being loaded into vehicles Friday morning, apparently being taken to the Cook County medical examiner’s office after dozens of decomposing bodies were found at a Far South Side funeral home.

Chicago authorities are investigating a South Side funeral home after more than 50 bodies were discovered improperly stored and in various states of decomposition Thursday.

The discovery came months after nearby residents began complaining about a "stench" coming from the funeral home.

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The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said state and local officials alerted it to improperly stored bodies at South Chicago Chapel. Investigators and forensic pathologists who responded found remains in various states of decomposition.

More families have been notified that their loved ones' remains were among those found improperly stored last week at a funeral home on Chicago's Southeast Side, while many others continue to wait for answers.

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Meanwhile, the first lawsuit has been filed against South Chicago Chapel.

The medical examiner has identified 19 of the 56 bodies discovered at the funeral home. Officials said 16 families have been notified, and the remains of three decedents have been released to funeral homes.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said 33 of the 56 bodies taken from a shuttered Far South Side funeral home have been identified, while a group of attorneys will offer legal advice to affected families.

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The medical examiner's office said Friday afternoon that of the 33 identified bodies taken out of South Chicago Chapel at 95th and Exchange last week, 25 families have been notified. Officials released their names Friday afternoon, excluding those whose next of kin have not yet been notified. You can find the list of names at the bottom of this article.