An Omaha funeral home has landed on two years of state probation after regulators say it cremated the remains of three unclaimed people before it held a valid license to perform cremations. The action against Dorsey Funeral Home and Cremations, located at 6302 Maple Street in the Benson neighborhood, stems from a petition filed by Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers.
According to KETV, Dorsey Funeral Home and Cremations cremated the remains of three people whose bodies had not been claimed, at a time when it was not licensed to perform cremations. The petition filed by the Nebraska Attorney General's Office charged the funeral home with operating without a license and with aiding and abetting the provision of false statements on death certificates, the station reported. The Nebraska Attorney General's Office says the formal petition for disciplinary action was filed on June 4, 2026, setting off the administrative proceedings that culminated in a probation order entered by the Chief Medical Officer, according to a statement from the Nebraska Attorney General's Office.
Cremations Tied to an Internal Training Exercise
State filings show the unlicensed cremations of the three unclaimed bodies took place in May 2025, and prosecutors highlighted that they were conducted as part of an internal training exercise carried out before the business had secured its proper credentials, per News Channel Nebraska.
The order placing Dorsey's establishment license on two years of probation was issued by Nebraska's Chief Medical Officer following the Attorney General's petition, the same statement notes. Under the probation terms, the funeral home must operate under licensed supervisory conditions for the duration of the two-year period.
Strict Rules Govern Handling of Remains
Nebraska administrative code requires crematories to process unembalmed human remains within 24 hours of receipt unless the remains are kept in refrigerated storage below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, which allows retention for up to eight days without a court order, according to the Nebraska Administrative Code.
A Historic Milestone Alongside the Sanctions
A September Missouri case involving Serenity Memorial Funeral and Cremation Services, previously reported by Hoodline, involved allegations and proceedings.
