Death is never easy.
In addition to the grieving that comes with losing a loved one, the costs add up quick. A traditional full service burial in Ohio costs around $8,000 on average, according to Funeralocity. Cremation averages around $2,000 as well.
So, what happens if someone doesn’t have the money to bury their loved one, or if they never come forward?
Cities, townships handle remains after coroner reaches out
Every year across Hamilton County, a number of peoples’ remains are unclaimed by friends, relatives or next of kin, according to the coroner’s office.
Coroner’s office chief administrator Andrea Hatten says while the office is sometimes unable to locate family, sometimes people choose not to claim the remains because of personal reasons or the cost of handling them.
Under Ohio law, if no one comes forward to claim someone’s remains, they are referred back to the city or township in which they died to be handled.
Some cities decide to cremate the remains because it is cheaper, while a few bury them, Hatten said.
In Cincinnati, unclaimed remains are handled through the city’s health department. The remains are cremated and stored at a local crematory. The process varies depending on when and how they are referred to the city. Storage depends on which organization does the referral.
Ashanti Salter, Cincinnati Health Department administrator, said If a family member decides they would like to claim the remains, it is an option. The family would only be responsible for the cost of cremation if that has already occurred.
How often does this happen? Salter said referrals vary by year, with 60 cases reported in 2025.
When remains are received by the health department, the person’s name is submitted to the Veterans Administration to find out of they were honorably discharged. If so, they are taken to Dayton Veteran Cemetery and buried with a military service.
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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What happens with unclaimed remains in Cincinnati? Just Askin’
Reporting by David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
