PENROSE, Colo. (KXRM) — The Return to Nature Funeral Dwelling in Penrose the place almost 200 improperly saved our bodies have been found in October can be demolished in January, in line with the Environmental Safety Company (EPA).
Following a Public Well being Order in November, Fremont County and the Colorado Division of Public Well being and Setting (CDPHE) requested that the EPA conduct a “removing motion,” which incorporates demolishing and disposing of constructing supplies.
An EPA crew and contractors visited the positioning in November to conduct an evaluation of the constructing, and wore protecting clothes to guard them from any residual medical or hazardous supplies remaining contained in the constructing.
In an replace, the EPA mentioned it has decided that “demolition of the constructing is important to soundly take away organic and unsafe supplies discovered within the constructing.” The EPA mentioned it’s within the means of growing a plan to conduct the demolition in January 2024.
Jon and Carie Hallford, the homeowners of Return to Nature, have been arrested in November in Wagoner, Oklahoma, on suspicion of committing the crimes of abuse of a corpse, theft, cash laundering and forgery, all of that are felonies.
They’ve since been extradited to Colorado, and a decide suggested at a listening to on Nov. 24 that Jon Hallford is at present going through 200 felony fees.
Except for the prison fees, the Hallfords are additionally going through at the least one class-action lawsuit in connection to the remedy of the stays, a few of which have been on the facility for 4 years, in line with a federal affidavit that’s beneath seal in Colorado however obtainable in Oklahoma. Some our bodies had 2019 loss of life dates, in line with the doc.
The EPA didn’t specify a precise date of demolition or delineate how lengthy the work would take, however assured the general public that particulars of the demolition course of, security measures, and timeframe could be shared publicly as soon as procedures are finalized.
