North Texas U.S. reps seek answers on unclaimed body policies in Tarrant, Dallas County
Two members of Congress from North Texas are seeking more information from Tarrant and Dallas counties’ medical examiner offices about their processes for handling unclaimed bodies and contacting family members of the deceased.
U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, a Fort Worth Democrat, and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a Dallas Democrat, sent a letter to the ME offices on Oct. 23 seeking the information. The letter follows a NBC investigation describing how the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth has used unclaimed bodies from Dallas and Tarrant County for medical research and sold some of the bodies to companies across the country.
The program has since been suspended. Tarrant County commissioners in September voted to end the county’s contract with UNTHSC related to the handling of unclaimed bodies. A new policy was adopted earlier in October, according to NBC.
In the letter, Veasey and Crockett express concerns about the offices’ policies for unclaimed bodies and contacting family members, including in the case of Victor Carl Honey, a deceased veteran who was featured in the NBC investigation. According to NBC, Honey’s body was unclaimed and donated to UNT Health Science Center.
They acknowledge changes made by the Health Science Center and Tarrant County.
“While we welcome these changes, they do not erase the pain and grief thousands of families are feeling as a result of the failures detailed in the investigation by NBC, nor do they ensure that proper safeguards are now in place to prevent the unapproved cremation of individuals or veterans who may readily contactable next of kin,” the letter reads.
Among their questions for the medical examiner offices, lawmakers are seeking more information about the processes for contacting family members of deceased individuals and the number of unclaimed remains that have been provided to medical and health research facilities in the past five years.
A spokesperson for the UNT Health Science Center declined to comment. Emails seeking comment from the Tarrant County Medical Examiner office were not immediately returned. The Star-Telegram left voice messages at the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Science, which includes the medical examiners office, trying to reach a representative with the office for comment.
This story was originally published October 23, 2024 at 5:09 PM.
