‘I just want this to be over’ Families awaiting answers in Colorado funeral home investigation
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - More than a hundred families are worried about what may have happened to the bodies of their loved ones after using Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose. Some told 13 Investigates they're unsure if the ashes they have are actually their family members.
On Oct. 4, 2023, law enforcement found over 115 bodies improperly stored at Return to Nature Funeral Home. Since then, families who used the funeral home have been forced to wait to see if their loved ones are part of this investigation.
In August, Tanya Wilson flew to Hawaii with her entire family to honor her mother’s last wish and scatter her ashes in the ocean.
“We chartered about and everything and we released what we thought were her ashes.”
Her mother, Yong Anderson, who lived in Woodland Park, died in June at age 76. She said they arranged for Return to Nature Funeral Home to handle the cremation process. Once news broke about the investigation into the bodies at Return to Nature Funeral Home’s location in Penrose, Wilson said they believed the worst.
Her death certificate states Wilbert Crematory cremated her. However, when the family called the crematory, the company said it stopped doing cremations for Return to Nature in November 2022, months before Anderson was reportedly cremated.
Anderson's family are now waiting to learn if she was among the 115 decomposing bodies.
“My mom's wishes for her last wish with to be released in a place that she loved. She lived in Hawaii for over 20 years. That was her happiest year because that was her wish. That's where she wanted to be released, not decomposing in some random building," said Wilson. "I mean, these people literally snatched that away from her.”
13 Investigates reached back out to the owners of Return to Nature Funeral Home Friday asking about the discrepancy on the cremation certificate. We have yet to hear back.
At this time, no arrests have been made in this multi-jurisdiction case.
To try and comfort the grieving families, the Penrose community is coming together to hold a vigil Saturday night. More information on that can be found here.
