After failing an inspection due to health and safety violations, the Richardson Mortuary in southwest Houston has been ordered to shut its doors. According to KHOU 11, the Texas Funeral Service Commission issued a cease-and-desist order following the discovery that the mortuary engaged in "fraudulent, unprofessional, or deceptive conduct." The business must halt all operations immediately and faces potential fines, with its permit at risk of revocation.
Distressing incidents brought to light by the families of the deceased precipitated the crackdown. Bodies were allegedly found on the ground and in undignified conditions after a family visited the mortuary ahead of a scheduled funeral. Holding a cease-and-desist letter dated April 14, the funeral home has been accused of failing to meet standards, which led to bodies visibly decomposing in the Houston heat. "They're on stretchers. They have gnats. They're in boxes," said Tamara McGruder-Crooks, whose mother was scheduled to be laid to rest, as reported by KHOU 11.
A confrontation at the mortuary escalated when McGruder-Crooks insisted on leaving with her mother's body, which was owing to alleged deceptive practices and alarming storage conditions. Her brother was stabbed during the conflict by a funeral home employee and had to be hospitalized. The police were summoned after a video showing the inside of the mortuary, including the bodies, was posted on social media, as per KPRC 2.
Murita Brown, after seeing her grandmother featured in the disturbing video, rushed to the funeral home herself. "To see her arm kind of like draped off that stretcher, it's just, it's heartbreaking," Brown told KPRC 2. Amidst reports of failed inspections and health violations, the mortuary's owner is said to be grappling with medical issues, having recently suffered a heart attack, and is not available for comment.
Richardson Mortuary had previously been fined $4,000 concerning issues with death certificates and record-keeping. KHOU 11 learned that the mortuary is to provide a list of all licensed embalmers and funeral directors and all decedents they have serviced since April 2024. With the mortuary now closed, the remains have been moved to Fort Bend Funeral Home, where efforts are being made to respect the final wishes of affected families.
