Ohio authorities investigated an Akron church this week and found the cremated remains of at least 90 people, with the names of the deceased scrawled on biohazard boxes and bags
The cremated remains were discovered in the Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church, where he officiates Shawnte Hardin, a pastor who was accused last year of wrongdoing handling of bodies.
Hardin was indicted last year on more than three dozen counts, most of them felonies, related to the performance of funeral services in Ohio without a license.
Agents found the cremated remains in white cardboard boxes and plastics bags at the former Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church on East Buchtel Avenue near North Arlington Street, according to a search warrant. https://t.co/2Os4wBfS
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However, Hardin’s attorney said the newly discovered remains are not related to the pastor’s unauthorized burial operations.
The remains are believed to be related to Robert Tate, a funeral director who was charged with “abuse of corpses” after the authorities discovered 11 bodies in his garage.
Attorney Richard Kerger said that Hardin was simply “holding” them for his “acquaintance”, Robert Tate.
“He kept them as acquaintances and he didn’t think much of it and I’m sure he didn’t think they’d be there six years later,” Kerger told WBNS.
In 2015, the authorities discovered ron 11 bodies in “various states of decomposition” inside the funeral home of Tate, including the body of a baby.
Many were stored in a garage in damp conditions.
Tate was sentenced to five years of freedom conditionally, he was ordered to surrender his funeral director and embalming licenses and close his funeral service business.
Tate died in December of 2021 at the age of 65 years.
Hardin’s attorney maintains that the pastor he did not violate Ohio state law by keeping the remains in the church.
“A lot of families don’t come to pick up the cremated remains,” Kerger said.
“These cremations were in the church, in a safe and sacred place. Under Ohio law, it’s allowed.” The Ohio Attorney General’s office has released a list of people whose remains were found in the church.
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