The Châlons-en-Champagne public prosecutor's office opened a preliminary investigation for "
infringement of the integrity of the corpse
" and "
forgery and use
" after a complaint filed by the children of a man who died of Covid-19 during the first confinement and quickly cremated, he told AFP on Tuesday.
Read also: Covid-19: is containment the solution to limit the number of deaths?
“
At this stage, it is the qualification denounced by the complainants.
According to the first elements, it is not a question of a forced cremation but they denounce a too rapid cremation of the body by the authorized services, which deprived them of the possibility of coming to meditate near the coffin
”, explained Prosecutor Ombeline Mahuzier, confirming information from Mediapart.
"
Investigations are underway, which should in particular make it possible to establish the facts, but also the qualification of a possible criminal offense
", she specifies.
According to the family lawyer, Anna Branellec, contacted by AFP, the complaint was filed on January 25 by the children of Patrick Grasset, who died of Covid-19 on March 25, 2020 at the age of 67, against the funeral directors and the mayor of Châlons-en-Champagne "
for having cremated Mr. Grasset only 5:30 after his death, while the law stipulates a period of at least 24 hours
".
No time to meditate
The children, living in the Paris region, "
did not even have time to come and pray,
" lamented the lawyer.
“
We are also filing a complaint for forgery and use (of forgery, editor's note) because the contract signed with the funeral director indicated that the cremation of Mr. Grasset was to take place at 3:15 pm.
However, by calling the company at 12:30 p.m., Mr. Grasset's daughter learned that the cremation was already in progress, 2:45 a.m. before the scheduled time.
The mayor broke the law and the funeral director failed to meet its obligations,
”she further explained.
Read also: Deprived, the funeral directors are raising the alarm signal
The children of the deceased were heard on January 27, according to the prosecutor.
"
This complaint follows a previous complaint filed by the same children of the deceased in 2020 for manslaughter and non-assistance to a person in danger and relating to the medical follow-up of their father before his death on March 25, 2020, also entrusted to the police station of Chalons.
Two separate procedures have been opened,
”adds the prosecutor.
According to Me Branellec, the first complaint was filed "
against Mr. Grasset's doctor and the Samu for poor care
".
Contacted by AFP, the chief of staff of the mayor of Châlons-en-Champagne, in charge of the funeral police, however, affirms that no complaint has so far been lodged against the town hall, nor against the mayor. .
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