Detectives have revealed they were unable to identify human ashes recovered from a scandal-plagued funeral home at the center of a major investigation into the care of the deceased.

They also confirmed they had received a “numerous number of calls” as part of a complex investigation into suspicions of financial and fraudulent activity at the legacy independent funeral director.

Last month, police seized a total of 35 bodies and suspected human ashes from Hull Funeral Home after receiving reports of concerns about “storage and management processes”.

Two men, a 46-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman, were arrested on suspicion of preventing a lawful and dignified burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position and remain on bail.

The investigation has sparked strong concerns from family members about what may have happened to their relatives’ bodies after they were entrusted to the company.

Speaking at a press conference four weeks into the investigation, Humberside Police Assistant Chief Constable Thom McLoughlin said work was still underway to formally identify the 35 bodies recovered from the Legacy site on Hessel Road. Continue. Officials are contacting the families of all those whose bodies were removed.

However, he revealed that they would not be able to confirm the identity of the ashes at the home.

He said: “Our dedicated phone line has received more than 2,000 calls from concerned members of the public since the investigation began. A significant number of these people are understandably concerned about the identification of their loved ones’ ashes so they can be repatriated with their families.

“We have been working closely with forensic scientists and experts to assess whether it is possible to extract DNA from human ashes for identification purposes.

“While expert opinion assures us that appropriate procedures were followed at the crematorium; unfortunately, given the high temperatures required for cremation, the DNA will be broken down and degraded to such an extent that we will not be able to recover a meaningful DNA profile.

“This means we are unable to identify any human ashes. This is, of course, devastating news for the family and loved ones and I offer you my heartfelt condolences at this difficult time.

He also confirmed police were investigating complaints about funeral home finances and urged customers to contact their funeral plan provider, adding: “In addition, we have received a number of calls relating to suspected financial and fraudulent activity.

“I have a dedicated team of professional investigators who conduct extensive investigations and follow up on various leads and information.

Council officials also confirmed they visited 50 funeral homes in the area following the scandal.

Angela Dearing, director of housing, transport and public protection for Yorkshire County Council East, said: “While the industry is not yet formally regulated nationally, this visit provided an opportunity for us to learn more about the funeral industry some key areas of the undertaker’s business,” adding that it was clear that the events unfolding were “by no means typical of the funeral industry in our region.”

Last month, police cordoned off three of the company’s sites after receiving a report of concerns about “storage and management processes associated with the care of deceased persons”.

Police said they were investigating a “truly horrific incident” and later confirmed they had contacted the families of 35 bodies recovered from funeral homes and were being formally identified at Hull City Morgue.