Over a dozen dead bodies found piled up in New Jersey nursing home
At least 18 bodies were discovered in a nursing home morgue in Andover, New Jersey, during the coronavirus pandemic. Owner said the deaths overwhelmed the facility.
Authorities found 18 bodies of coronavirus victims piled up into a makeshift morgue at a nursing home in Andover, New Jersey, one of the states which has been affected the most by the outbreak with more than 33,000 confirmed cases.
The police received an anonymous tip on Monday, informing them that a body was being stored outside the care home, Andover Township Police Chief Eric Danielson said on Thursday. However, when the police arrived, the body was not where the anonymous caller had claimed it to be. On further investigation, police discovered 13 bodies inside.
Five bodies were found on Easter Sunday and 13 the following day. At least 68 people, including two nurses, connected to the care home have recently died and at least 26 are coronavirus-related. “The back-up and after-hours holiday weekend issues, plus more than average deaths, contributed to the presence of more deceased than normal in the facility holding room,” said the co-owner Chaim Scheinbaum.
Gov. Phil Murphy said on Thursday that he was heartbroken and outraged by what happened at the nursing home and he directed the states attorney general, Gurbir Grewal, to investigate the case and the situation of the other long-term care homes in the state.
Deaths at New Jersey nursing homes are an ongoing problem
At least 24 people have died at the New Jersey Veterans Home and at least 75 residents have tested positive for the coronavirus. More than 3,300 deaths nationwide have been linked to the Covid-19 outbreak in nursing homes and long-term care facilities according to the latest count by The Associated Press.