189 Decaying Bodies Discovered in Colorado Funeral Home, Families Likely Given Fake Ashes

Investigation into Funeral Home Scandal Uncovers Fabricated Cremation Records and Significant Financial Troubles, While Families Deal with Trauma and Betrayal.

Investigators discovered 189 decaying bodies at Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado Springs, amid evidence of fabricated cremation records and families likely receiving fake ashes instead of their loved ones' remains.
Families affected by the scandal expressed feelings of betrayal and devastation, as they now fear their loved ones weren't cremated at all and could be among the unidentified corpses found at the facility.
Two crematories that were listed on death certificates as the handlers of cremation denied performing services for Return to Nature on the corresponding dates, throwing the facility's records under serious doubt.
Several families described a consistency similar to 'dry concrete' in the remains they received, a substance that has been substituted for human ashes by funeral homes in the past. Forensic tests involving wetting the material to see if it hardens can reveal such deception.
Return to Nature, which offered cremations and 'green' burials without embalming fluids since its establishment in 2017, has been grappling with financial and legal issues, including a forced eviction, unpaid taxes, and a lawsuit resulting in a $21,000 judgment due to unpaid cremations.
Possible charges against the funeral home's owners could include misdemeanor violations of mortuary regulations and fraud, with potential fines exceeding $1 million and possible jail terms. Federal charges, if brought, could lead to even more severe penalties.