MARIETTA, Ga. — An investigation involving several agencies is underway after over 30 boxes of cremated remains were discovered at an abandoned funeral home.
The cremated remains were left unattended inside the funeral home for months following a fire. Flames gutted the building earlier this year and it was condemned.
Police said a concerned citizen called them after seeing a social media post about the Norman Medford Peden funeral home in Marietta.
"That Reddit post included pictures of cremains, open caskets and lots of crazy things at a funeral home," said Marietta Police Public Information Officer Chuck McPhilamy.
McPhilamy said what police found inside was more than concerning.
“We counted roughly 30 boxes that were marked as human remains or cremains," said McPhilamy.
Now, investigators are working to match families with their cremated loved ones.
Shane Blackwell, a funeral director at the Mack and Payne funeral home in Athens, said there are several ways to go about identifying the cremated remains that were found in Marietta.
“Ashes come in a plastic bag wrapped with a little coin with a serial number and you verify that with the cremains certificate," Blackwell said.
Blackwell added that reaching out to nearby crematoriums and using social media are also helpful tools in reuniting cremains with loved ones.
Marietta Police said they’ve enlisted the help of several agencies, including the district attorney’s office, the medical examiner and code enforcement, to find out who the cremated remains belong to and if anyone will face charges.
“The million dollar question is, 'What was someone doing inside of a condemned building that should have been secured?'" McPhilamy said.
Marietta Police also found evidence that a homeless person had been sleeping inside the building. Investigators don’t believe that person is connected to the Reddit post.