The Funeral Home Closed in April. A Letter Led to a Search

Authorities say the bodies of 11 babies have been found in a funeral home that was closed six months ago. Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs spokesman Jason Moon says inspectors found the bodies Friday at the Cantrell Funeral Home on Detroit's east side. The Free-Press reports authorities discovered the remains thanks to an unsigned letter that detailed their whereabouts in what the paper describes as a "false ceiling." Detroit police say eight or nine bodies were found in a cardboard box and the others in one or more caskets, all hidden in the ceiling. "We do have names for some of the remains and we're going to try to contact the families," said Detroit police Lt. Brian Bowser.

Police ordered a search of the building to ensure there were no additional bodies inside, and the Free-Press reports a cadaver-trained police dog didn't turn up anything. The regulatory agency suspended the license of the funeral home in April after inspectors found decomposing embalmed bodies and other violations, reports the AP. Violations also included two improperly stored bodies covered in what appeared to be mold and a third body with unknown fluids covering the facial area.

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