Former Crematory Owners Plead Guilty to Negligence

Christina Cole

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The former owners of Bayview Crematory that was closed over two years ago after investigators discovered remains and a body in a broken cooler - have agreed to plead guilty to several charges. Charges included negligence and the filing of false tax returns.

The crematorium that handled close to 2,000 bodies each year from funeral homes in Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire had been operating for over six years without proper registration or inspection by the state. They were closed in February 2005.

Last year, a judge ruled that a lawsuit against her and her son, alleging funeral home negligence in the handling of bodies, consumer protection violations and misrepresentation, could be classified as a class-action case.

Wallace had sold Bayview Crematorium to his mother and her husband for $1, but continued to be involved in the business, according to court papers. Authorities said their investigation of Bayview Crematorium turned up numerous cases of forged cremation certificates.

In 2005, Wallace's Massachusetts funeral director's license was suspended for five years for deceptive practices and unprofessional conduct, including his violation of a Massachusetts regulation prohibiting funeral home owners from having a financial interest in a crematorium.