Officials say 17 bodies have been removed from a Modesto funeral home after complaints the home was taking too long to cremate the bodies.
Stanislaus County sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Anthony Bejaran says the removal of the bodies on Friday from McGuire Cremation & Funeral Service comes as the department investigates what he termed "potential criminal and civil violations'' at the funeral home over the past several months.
Bejaran did not release additional details but Stanislaus County's public health officer, John Walker, told the Modesto Bee that had had suspended permits for burial or cremation by the funeral home on May 1 because of several complaints "`regarding delays in cremation of family members.''
Sheriff's officials have not released the names of any of decedents, or say how long the bodies were at the funeral home
