Funeral home director arrested after bodies found in garage

Police have arrested a funeral director after three decomposed bodies were found in a Strawberry Mansion garage back in August. Janet Powell-Dailey, 72, of Powell Funeral Home is facing multiple charges including abuse of a corpse and theft. Investigators say the three bodies were left in the hot, dingy garage for an extended period of time after being dropped off by a nursing home to the funeral home around the corner.

A coffin and two cardboard body boxes were found in that garage on the 2600 block of Hagert Street, police say.

The funeral home, which had been in Powell-Dailey's family for decades, had been operating without a license since 2012. 

It was not known why the facility was allowed to continue operating despite the lack of license and multiple tax claims filed against the business by Philadelphia in recent years.

Bodies of Albert Andrews, 84, who died July 26, and Sally Czarnecki, 86, who died August 13, were in unsealed cardboard cremation boxes.

The body of Leon Nelson, 89, who died August 11, was in an unsealed coffin when the bodies were found on the 25th, according to a suit filed against Powell-Dailey.

Pearson said she and her family learned of the improper handling of her father's body through media reports.

They called Powell-Dailey, who allegedly told them Andrews had been cremated.

But when the family repeatedly contacted Ivy Hill Cemetery, where he was supposed to be interred, the cemetery said Powell Dailey never delivered his remains.

Albert Andrews

"She said I want you to know I did nothing wrong. She said it's the media coming after poor, black businesses," said Pearson.

Andrews is now laid to rest in an historic cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland, where Pearson lives.

Powell Dailey is now in police custody.

Leon Nelson

"I don't want her to have the opportunity to do this kind of thing to any other families because it really hurt us," said Pearson.

Source: ABC News