Cook County body removal backlog leads to long delays: 'Lots of angry families'

Chicago-area body removal backlog leads to long delays: 'Lots of angry families'

When someone dies, the body needs to be taken to the proper place, but a backlog in the field is causing anguish for families and frustration for first responders.

CHICAGO - There’s a backlog of bodies in Cook County - that’s the claim of some workers who transported bodies to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office. 

The company they worked for, Allied Services Group, was replaced by another company.

What we know:

It’s a sensitive business, but there are people who do it, transport the dead from homes, hospitals, and crime scenes to the morgue. 

They say it’s now taking twice as long to get this service, causing heartache to vulnerable people and draining the resources of police.

The body transport technicians step in after crime scene investigators are finished.

They are called to homes when a loved one passes away.

They say they are supposed to get to the scene in 75 minutes, but the current backlog of cases is causing hours-long delays, making police stay on scene when they could be fighting crime.

Technicians who worked for Cook County until last summer say they are hearing complaints about the company that replaced them. It’s a job they say requires a level of compassion.

What they're saying:

Darius Williams said, "We did a customer service. We provide a service for people, you know, picking up their loved ones, doing it the correct way, being on time. Stuff like that… You got to be careful with this job. You know, a lot of people, they are watching, you know, as you do the job. So yeah, it's definitely a lot of care with it."

LaFabian Anderson said, "There was a serious backlog. A lot of angry families, a lot of just angry police officers. Because the police have to stay down on the scene to wait till they get there."

They worked for Allied Services Group, Incorporated, which had the contract until last summer. Their office is empty, the technicians are out of work, the service vans have been removed.

They’re trying to win the contract back.

We have reached out to Cook County officials for a response to their claims.