Ciudad Juarez, Mex. (BN24) – Mexican investigators have uncovered 383 bodies along with the partial remains of six others inside a crematorium in Ciudad Juarez, a grim discovery that officials say raises troubling questions about why the remains were never cremated.
The Chihuahua state prosecutor, César Jáuregui, said Monday the deceased appeared to have been stored for at least three to four years.
“Who knows what the ulterior motive of these subjects was,” Jáuregui said at a news conference. “Because storing that number also makes you think they weren’t providing the service.”
The investigation began after an anonymous caller alerted authorities to the facility. When officials entered the building last Thursday, they were confronted with the staggering number of bodies.
The crematorium had contracts to handle remains from six funeral homes in Ciudad Juarez, but prosecutors said it was not yet clear why the corpses had been kept instead of cremated.
The facility’s owner and an employee were taken into custody as authorities continued to examine records and interview witnesses.
ap.com
