100 Katrina Victims Still Await Burial

National Journal ^ | June 12, 2007 | Staff Reporter

[Daffynition]

Nearly two years after Hurricane Katrina devastated much of New Orleans, 100 bodies of victims remain housed in a warehouse near the Superdome.

CNN reports that 70 of those bodies have been identified, but relatives are simply "too poor" or otherwise unable to claim them. The names of the other 30 victims are still unknown.

Dr. Frank Minyard, New Orleans' coroner, has so far raised $250,000 of the $400,000 he says is needed to break ground on a mausoleum for the unclaimed bodies. For now, those 100 people rest in numbered plastic-wrapped coffins inside the unmarked warehouse.

[llevrok]

send Shemp Smith down there to sort this out.

[Viking2002]

Nagin thinks it's Bush's fault.

[Chickensoup]

400K for a mausolum? They could be creamated in bulk for about 4000.00

[JustaDumbBlonde]

I apologize in advance, but my give a damn is broken when it comes to the Katrina perpetual victim stories. If two years later these families haven’t scraped up enough dough to handle the final arrangements for their loved ones, put them in a pauper’s grave.

[Thrownatbirth]

In South Carolina, unclaimed bodies were always distributed to medical colleges and USC for use by students or research.

I know. I had to watch a dissection for a high school project. :-(

[Red_Devil 232]

Throw them in the bayou ... the gators and crabs will take care of the disposal!

[LibKill]

Yep, my 'giveadamn' has broken down when it comes to New Orleans.

We got hit with Rita in Texas. Our trash has been cleaned up for over a year now.

The difference is a 'can do' attitude vs. an 'I'm impotent' attitude.

[L98Fiero]

My give a damn meter just doesn’t budge anymore for these folks either.

[Drew68]

400K for a mausolum?

This is New Orleans. About 90% of the money needs to be used for kickbacks and graft.