Ada County Coroner Works to Place Unclaimed Cremains to Rest

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The office of the Ada County coroner has 52 occupants that don't belong there: the unclaimed or abandoned ashes of men and women who have died in the county. The Idaho Statesman reports that Coroner Dotti Owens says human remains don't belong in an office closet, and she is working to right the problem. The unclaimed remains are from when the deceased's next-of-kin cannot be found. Abandoned cremains are when the deceased's next-of-kin has not stepped in to take care of the body and pay for cremation.

In both cases, the county pays about $800 to cremate the remains. For abandoned cremains, Owens is talking to officials about requiring family to reimburse the county for cremation costs. For the unclaimed, the Ada County commissioners are currently deciding whether to purchase a crypt.