381 bodies found piled up in private crematorium in Mexico's Ciudad Juarez, authorities call it 'irregular and inhumane'

In a chilling discovery, 381 embalmed corpses were found stacked haphazardly across rooms of a private crematorium in northern Mexico’s Ciudad Juarez , authorities said Sunday, describing the situation as a case of gross negligence.

The bodies, many of which may have been stored for up to two years, were found in a state of complete disorder, dumped "indiscriminately, one on top of the other, on the floor," according to Eloy Garcia, communications coordinator for the Chihuahua state prosecutor’s office.

None of the remains had been cremated, despite families believing their loved ones had been properly processed and receiving ashes that turned out to be “other material,” Garcia revealed.

Owner turns himself in; negligence blamed
Authorities have not confirmed whether the remains were linked to Mexico’s ongoing wave of criminal violence, but they laid the blame squarely on the operators of the crematorium. Garcia called it an act of “carelessness and irresponsibility,” noting that all such businesses are fully aware of their daily cremation limits.

“You can't take in more than you can process,” Garcia said. One administrator from the facility has reportedly turned himself in to prosecutors, though no further details on legal proceedings have been disclosed yet.

System under strain
Mexico’s forensic system has long been overwhelmed, with a growing backlog of unprocessed bodies, a shortage of forensic personnel, and budgetary constraints, all intensified by years of violence linked to organized crime. Ciudad Juarez, in particular, has been a hotspot for such violence, adding to pressure on local morgues and funeral services.

This latest discovery underscores the scale of institutional failure and raises serious questions about regulation and oversight in the country’s mortuary services. Authorities are continuing their investigation.