When you lose a loved one, the final arrangements should offer peace and closure—not confusion, unanswered questions, and heartbreak. And yet, that is exactly what many families are facing after trusting their loved ones to Heaven Bound Cremation Services, the crematory contracted for years by the District of Columbia to handle the remains of some of the city’s most vulnerable residents.
What has now come to light is deeply disturbing—and it demands accountability.
The D.C. Contract That Failed Families
Since 2017, the District of Columbia paid Heaven Bound over $900,000 to handle thousands of cremations, including many under public disposition—unclaimed, homeless, and low-income residents. The city entered and renewed this contract six times, despite clear signs of trouble.
In fact, just one day after the first contract was signed, the Maryland Board of Morticians received a complaint about Heaven Bound involving the improper storage and mixing of cremains. From 2017 to 2024, Heaven Bound was repeatedly cited for grotesque violations:
- Cremains stored in trash cans with other biohazard waste.
- Bodies stacked in cardboard boxes, some visibly decomposing.
- Flies and strong odors detected by inspectors.
- A broken cremation chamber with bodies left unrefrigerated.
Despite all this, the District continued doing business with Heaven Bound.
D.C. Knew There Were Problems—and Did Nothing
Public records show that D.C. agencies were aware of consumer protection concerns. In 2023, the D.C. Board of Funeral Directors referred Heaven Bound for investigation. And yet, no enforcement followed. City officials claimed they relied on Maryland regulators—but D.C. chose to keep sending bodies there, even while Maryland placed the crematory on probation multiple times.
Worse, families were never warned. Calls from grieving relatives went unanswered. Ashes were returned with no assurance of identity. In some cases, remains were never returned at all.
And when Maryland officials finally shut Heaven Bound down in January 2025, D.C. scrambled to retrieve five bodies and hundreds of cremains, many of which still haven’t been properly identified or returned to families.
If Your Loved One Was Sent to Heaven Bound, You Deserve Answers
Our legal team is now representing families whose loved ones were cremated—or supposed to be cremated—at Heaven Bound, particularly those referred through D.C.’s public system. You may have legal options if:
- You received cremains with no clear identification or paperwork.
- Your loved one’s remains were lost or never returned.
- You were told your loved one was sent to Heaven Bound through D.C.’s public disposition system.
- You suspect your loved one’s remains were mishandled, mixed, or improperly stored.
This is not just about negligence—it is about a systemic failure that betrayed grieving families and treated human remains with shocking disrespect.
We Are Here to Help You Find the Truth
Our firm is pursuing claims on behalf of affected families. We understand this is painful, and we’re here to handle your case with care, discretion, and resolve. There is no cost to speak with us, and you will owe nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
If you believe your loved one’s remains were handled by Heaven Bound—especially through D.C.’s public cremation system—contact us today.
Call McCarthy, Winkelman & Mester, L.L.P. today at 301-262-7422 or click “Contact” to schedule a consultation.
Let us help you fight for dignity, justice, and the answers you deserve.
