Funeral director Robert Bush faces 67 charges, including fraud and improper handling of cremated remains, after a series of investigations uncovered widespread mishandling of ashes at his firm.
Jasmine Beverley, who lost her son Sunny in 2022, reported that the ashes she received in March 2023 were not his. The family had visited Legacy on June 16, left a photograph, a blue fleece blanket and flowers, and later collected the ashes from a small envelope in a blue coffin.
Beverley expressed deep sorrow, noting that her son had spent more time in the funeral home’s possession than with his own family. She described finding a brown paper bag on the floor and the lasting impact of not knowing where her son's remains truly were.
Katie Woolston, who suffered a miscarriage in May 2023, had previously relied on Bush after a 2020 loss. She claimed that the cremation of her baby was delayed and that the urn she received contained no ashes, leading her to question whether the remains had ever reached the funeral home.
Stacey Foster and partner Peter Cooke lost their son Tommy at 17 weeks in August 2023. They were given a black bag with a Legacy logo, only to discover the ashes inside weighed twice what Tommy had weighed, and that a ring made from the ashes was actually from a different body.
Lucy Ness, who miscarried in April 2021, was handed an urn that she believed held her baby’s ashes. Police later found empty packaging labeled with her baby’s name, and the actual ashes remain unrecovered.
Other families have reported similar mishaps. A deceased man’s body was found with hospital identification bands still attached, and a brother’s ashes were mistakenly given to a daughter who had a ring made from them.
Valerie Coates recalled a celebration of her husband’s life that was undermined by receiving the wrong ashes. Billie‑Jo Chapman asked whether the ashes she received in June 2023 were her father’s, as no answers had been provided after a trial was not conducted.
Bush has pleaded guilty to the charges, and a five‑day sentencing hearing is underway. Families affected by the misconduct remain in search of closure and definitive answers regarding the fate of their loved ones’ remains.
