Although it’s not exactly common, it’s also not unlikely to come across human remains in a storage unit.
Most of the time, these will be in the form of cremains, which are often stored along with the rest of a family’s belongings during a move or other transition period.
Occasionally, though, you’ll find something weirder: A coffin, formaldehyde-preserved body parts or even a murder victim.
Within the past few years, all of these have been found and turned into pretty high-profile cases, and it’s not impossible that it could happen to you as well.
So, how do you prepare for the possibility of finding a body or other remains in a storage facility? Knowing what your options are in advance will help you make a smart decision if that comes to pass.
First off, it’s always best to play it safe any time you find anything suspicious in a storage unit. If there’s even the slightest chance that foul play was involved, you need to call the cops immediately and have them deal with it.
Of course, this probably won’t be too hard as most auction hunters have very little desire to take human remains home with them. Just be aware that the contents of your unit may be seized temporarily or permanently if a criminal investigation is warranted.
In the case of cremains, you have a few options. The first and simplest is to simply leave them, along with any other personal effects, with the facility manager, who may then try to contact the original tenant to return them. You can also try to get the tenant’s contact information and try to return the cremains yourself.
In most cases, families will be relieved to get such a personal item returned to them. Occasionally, though, they can be a bit combative with you about the other items you may have kept for yourself from the unit.
If the original tenant cannot be found, your next best option is to contact a funeral home in the area. They may be able to identify the cremains based on any information you can provide about the tenant, allowing you another channel for communicating with the tenant.
They may also be willing to hold onto the cremains for you or tell you how they can be properly disposed of as there are state laws governing the storage and disposal of ashes.
Please leave your insightful thoughts in the comment box below.
Tenant unit went to auction. Buyer brought me all the personal effects in unit. There was cremated remains of a 10 year old boy. Tenant REFUSES to call back or come get them. I assume it was her son. I could be incorrect. I REFUSE to just throw them away. This little boy is breaking my heart and I dont even know him. Cant find any info on his death in the paper or online. I did find a picture among the items that I believe could be him. He is lying in a hospital bed and hooked up to all kinds of tubes. he looks as though he may have been disabled. I am beside myself and would love to scatter them by Lake Mead(about 5 miles from facility). Is this allowed if she doesnt come get them?
Check the state laws. You might consult with clergy. See if you can find the obituary and funeral home/crematory that worked with the family. You might need to put a notice in the local paper if you choose to scatter his ashes. I hope you can find rest for his remains.
That’s so sad, if you can just hang on to them for a while she may still be grieving and it’s all hard on her. The medical bills probably caused her to lose all her things, or she may have gotten sick from stress or depression herself. I am just imagining how I would feel if that happened to me. But if you can just keep them until she is able to come for them I’m sure she will want them.
I work for a storage company as a manager and am currently dealing with two sets of cremated remains left and abandoned from a auctioned unit. It is not a easy task dealing with remains. In our case all avenues have been exhausted. One lucky man was a veteran and we were able to get that Neptune Society involved and he will eventually end up at a National Cemetery with other unclaimed vet remains but he will be properly buried. Our other case not so lucky his family is dead he in fact would be over 100 so no one is left to sign off on anything. To be scatted at sea legally you need a family member to sign off and pay a service if you can find one in your area. It is not free and the remains needs to be sent out over 3 miles into international waters. Cemeteries can not help and it is a felony in every single state to just dump ash remains. The police can not help either. People please stop storing loved ones or unloved ones in storage units. 9 times out of 10 they will forever go unclaimed and sit in a dark cupboard forever.