Authorities suspended the funeral director’s license at South Chicago Chapel on Thursday after investigators found more than 50 decomposing bodies in unrefrigerated storage, including rodent and maggot infestations.
State regulators confirmed the facility’s continued operation posed a public safety risk, leading to an immediate license suspension. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office reported the bodies were in various states of decomposition, with teams now working to identify the deceased and review death certificates. The process could take several days, officials said.
Chicago police and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation assisted in the investigation, which began after complaints about foul odors from a neighboring property. The Chicago Fire Department declared the scene a hazardous materials incident.
State records identified Johanna Morgan as the funeral director, whose license was suspended due to violations including improper storage conditions. Neighbors reported persistent foul odors for months, with one resident describing the smell as unbearable. A family member of a deceased individual also reported arriving for a scheduled viewing only to find no body present at the facility.
The Medical Examiner’s Office is coordinating with authorities to notify families, while the investigation continues to determine how long the conditions persisted and whether additional violations occurred. State regulators emphasized the suspension was a precautionary measure to prevent further risk to public health.
Background: The facility is owned by Clark Morgan, whose name was previously associated with a shuttered crematory in Chicago Heights, where over 100 bodies were found improperly stored in trailers last year. The state’s actions follow heightened scrutiny of funeral home operations amid prior enforcement actions in the region.