He morgue director from Harvard Medical School was indicted for federal charges of theft of body parts in what would be a human remains trafficking conspiracy involving his wife and other people.
Cedric Lodge allowed shoppers into the school morgue to pick out donated body parts and transported heads, brains, skins and bones to his home in New Hampshire, according to the five-count indictment filed in Pennsylvania.
“Some crimes are beyond comprehension,” he said. Gerard M. Karam, federal prosecutor, Wednesday in a statement. He said the conspiracy was “particularly egregious” because the victims had donated their remains to educate students and create advances in science.
“To have them and their families taken advantage of for profit is appalling,” Karam said.
The indictment named Katrina MacLean of Salem, Massachusetts, who runs a studio called “Kat’s Creepy Creations,” and Joshua Taylor of West Lawn, Pennsylvania, as buyers. Lodge’s wife, Denise, is accused of shipping the remains and operating a PayPal which received US$37,355 in proceeds from the conspiracy.
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Deans of Harvard Medical School called the alleged crimes “abominable treason” it’s a statement. The school has launched a web page with resources for birth families and next of kin.
Lawyers for the defendants could not immediately be reached for comment.
Translated by Malú Poveda.
