Jasmine Beverley believed her stillborn son Sunny had been given a funeral and cremated. Instead, his tiny remains lay on the floor of the Legacy Independent Funeral Directors premises in Hull for almost two years, kept in what looked to a police officer like an evidence bag.
The 'horror scene' was discovered in March 2024 when funeral director Robert Bush was on holiday. Police were tipped off that something criminal might be happening at the business and found bodies in varying states of decomposition, including the stillborn baby.
The Discovery
Chris Paxton KC, prosecuting, told Hull Crown Court: 'In this bag was a white cotton pad. It looked like a dressing-type pad used by hospitals. [The officer] opened the pad and inside was a tiny item which he initially thought was a baby bird. Although initially unsure, he suspected it was a human foetus.'
The baby had two wristbands around his waist identifying that he was born to Ms Beverley in May 2022. Gasps were heard in court from family members as the details were described.
Mother's Reaction
Ms Beverley said: 'I discovered that he was still in there almost two years after we'd had the funeral and had him cremated, which wasn't the case. He was found inside the cold store on the floor in an envelope, and it was quite a distressing time to discover that what you thought had happened, hadn't actually happened.'
Sunny's loved ones were eventually told where his remains had been kept. His mother added: 'We'd always wondered where he'd been found, and we didn't know whether or not it was with the rest of the people. When we found out he was there with everybody, it sort of gave me a little peace that he wasn't on his own.'
Call for Reform
Ms Beverley said Bush appeared 'lovely' but 'had a lot of people fooled' by his respectful manner. It has been more than 18 months since families affected by the scandal went to Westminster to call for government action to tighten regulations in the funeral industry.
She said: 'I don't understand why they're dragging their heels on this, because most crematoriums and funeral directors have a best practice. We just want to see that best practice put into play in law to make sure that is regulated.'
