'Our baby was robbed of dignity' says couple after funeral director kept body at home
A couple discovered their stillborn daughter's body on a sofa at a funeral director's home, saying the act robbed their child of her dignity.
The baby, named Macie-Mae, was stillborn at a Leeds hospital in January. Her parents, Cody and Liam Townend, had hired funeral director Amie Upton to handle the arrangements. Ms. Upton had previously been banned from Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust's mortuaries and maternity wards for storing baby bodies at her home. Despite this, she told the Daily Mirror that in her eight years of running her baby loss assistance and funeral service, Florrie's Army, she had received only two complaints. She insisted that the babies in her care "know nothing but love" and are never left alone.
The Discovery
According to BBC Newsnight, the Townends discovered their daughter's body at Ms. Upton's house, which was six miles from the funeral parlor. Ten days after last seeing her, they found Macie-Mae's body on a sofa, wrapped in a blanket.
Mrs. Townend said, "I was mortified." She felt Ms. Upton had taken over, saying, "It's like she just took everything over. Macie-Mae was robbed of her dignity. She had no dignity." Mr. Townend expressed their desire to get their baby out of the house as quickly as possible, noting that the baby should have been in a chapel of rest.
Police and Public Response
West Yorkshire Police investigated Florrie's Army but found no criminal charges, stating that "extensive inquiries revealed no such offense."
The Townends, who visit their daughter's grave daily, are now calling for greater oversight of the funeral industry. Mrs. Townend remarked, "It's easier to open your own burger van than it is to open a new funeral home. It needs to change."
Their Member of Parliament, Mark Sewards, said he is pushing for new regulations for the sector and will "hold the government's feet to the fire" to ensure changes are implemented. The government stated that grieving families "rightly wished their children to be treated with dignity and reverence" and is "considering the full range of options to raise standards" in the funeral industry.
