‘There's bodies still on the floor’: Family member details scene inside Flatbush funeral home

The state Health Department has suspended the license of the funeral home in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn where bodies were seen and smelled, as they were being stored in U-haul trucks out on the street.

News 12 Staff

May 2, 2020, 1:47 AM

Updated 1,624 days ago

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The state Health Department has suspended the license of the funeral home in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn where bodies were seen and smelled, as they were being stored in U-haul trucks out on the street. 
Rubena Durbin just flew in from Atlanta to be able to finally put her 58-year-old mother Helen Monah who died on Sunday from COVID-19 to rest. 
However, she says when the funeral home she hired went to Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center to pick up her mother's body, it was gone. 
"Every time I call they keep giving me these foolish answers. I don't know where she is,” said Durbin. 
Her mother's body was tracked down to Andrew T. Cleckly in Flatbush, the funeral home where two days ago bodies were seen being stored in U-haul trucks outside. 
After an investigation, on Friday, state health officials halted all operations and pulled the home's license. 
"Just losing their license and losing their business it's not good enough, they need to be prosecuted, they need to go to jail,” said Durbin. 
Durbin tells News 12 she believes those at the hospital who released her mother's body, also need to be held responsible. 
"Why are they giving up bodies to these people that have no authority or no authorization to pick up loved ones family members,” said Durbin. 
She and her uncle went inside the funeral home to look for her mother. "There's bodies still on the floor upstairs,” said Durbin. 
"I can't even grieve in peace. My brothers and sisters can't grieve because we are having to deal with me flying down here locating the body and dealing with all this. It's just not right, it's not human,” said Durbin. 
Durbin tells News 12 she's going to continue fighting until all of those responsible are held accountable.
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