Morgue workers stole drugs from dead bodies to use and sell, Michigan sheriff says

Aspen Pflughoeft
·1 min read

Two former employees of a Michigan medical examiner’s office are accused of stealing prescription drugs from dead bodies, according to authorities.

The employees, a 32-year-old woman and 50-year-old man, worked at the Macomb County Medical Examiner’s Office, the Macomb County sheriff said in a Wednesday, Feb. 1, news release. The office obtains the medications and narcotics from deceased people as part of death investigations.

The sheriff received an anonymous tip in April 2022 about employees stealing prescription medication from the office and began investigating, the release said. Soon after, the Macomb County Health Department filed a report about missing medications and narcotics, officials said.

The investigation identified two morgue employees who were “pocketing drugs” from dead bodies, Click on Detroit reported. Both employees were fired in December.

The 32-year-old woman stole drugs from the office with the intent to sell them, the sheriff said, and is facing four felony charges.

The 50-year-old man stole drugs and used them, officials said. He is facing two misdemeanor charges.

Neither of the former employees’ attorneys nor the Macomb County Medical Examiner’s Office immediately responded to McClatchy News’ request for comment on Feb. 2.

The woman’s attorney told The Macomb Daily that she has “no prior criminal record and has been cooperative in the case,” the outlet reported.

Both ex-employees were arraigned Feb. 1, Click on Detroit reported. Their next court date is scheduled for May.

Macomb County is about 30 miles northeast of Detroit.

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