CONYERS, Ga. — A cremation company owner in Conyers said he is stuck with the body of a woman whose family left her there.
The owner said no one will pay for the cremation and no one will take the body.
Before the 56-year-old woman died at Piedmont Hospital, her daughter called Premier Crematory four times to work out arrangements. When she died, the hospital called and Premier brought the body to their facility and put her in the refrigerator to wait for cremation.
"She's a mother with two kids," said crematory owner Ray Wilson.
One of the woman's children, a daughter, arranged for the cremation. But after Premier had the body, the daughter said she couldn't pay.
"She walked out the door, shook our hands, said, 'Thanks for being patient,' and we've never seen or heard from her since," said Wilson.
Ten days have passed and Wilson said he is now stuck with the remains.
"We cannot take it back to Piedmont. We cannot take it back to the Fulton County Medical Examiner and the (Georgia Bureau of Investigation) said no," said Wilson.
The woman's daughter and sister left four contact numbers but all of them have been disconnected.
Wilson called the deceased woman's uncle who said the woman's daughter was hiding.
"She's hiding? Why is she hiding?" asked Wilson. He said customers attempting not to pay has become more common. "But this has got to be the first time ever that a family has just totally abandoned their responsibilities," he said.
Wilson said they've had customers stall while they raised money, but never just vanish.
He said they've offered a discount, but charges for refrigeration are adding up.
WSBTV
