CHICAGO — Two dozen indigent people whose bodies were among several hundred allowed to stack up at a county morgue will be buried Wednesday in Chicago.
The archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Francis George, will lead a graveside prayer service during the burials at Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery.
Religious leaders expressed their concerns in January with operations at the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. They called for changes to "ensure the dignified handling of the dead."
Officials said in January that coolers at the morgue meant to house 300 bodies had at one point held 363. County board President Toni Preckwinkle later announced an overhaul of the morgue.
The Chicago Archdiocese offered up to 300 graves and interment services to help clear the backlog.