Licenses suspended after 31 unrefrigerated, decomposing bodies found at Indiana funeral home

The licenses of a funeral director and his facility in Indiana have been suspended after authorities last month found 31 unrefrigerated, decaying bodies at the funeral home, according to a press release.

"Upon learning of the conditions at the facility, Attorney General Rokita's team on July 26 filed for emergency license suspensions with the State Board of Funeral and Cemetery Service," according to the press release. "Randy Ray Lankford agreed Friday to surrender licenses for himself and his facility, Lankford Funeral Home and Family Center. Today, the State Board of Funeral and Cemetery Service approved the suspensions."

In addition to "the 31 unrefrigerated corpses in body bags throughout the funeral home in various stages of decomposition," Jeffersonville police also discovered the remains of more than a dozen cremated people, the press release noted.

Some of the corpses were "in the advanced stages of decomposition," Maj. Isaac Parker noted last month, according to the Associated Press. Parker described it as "a very unpleasant scene."

"Our office puts a high priority on protecting Hoosiers from harmful business practices and professional malpractice," Rokita said, according to the press release. "In this case, our Licensing Enforcement team acted swiftly to take the appropriate actions."

Rokita is a Republican who has previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives.

"Grieving families must be able to trust that their loved ones’ remains will be respectfully and properly handled," Rokita said. "Further, the unsanitary conditions at this funeral home posed a clear and immediate threat to public health and safety. We are committed to making sure that anyone entrusted with a professional license issued by the state is meeting the required standards."

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