A woman has shared a disturbing experience of receiving a call from the police informing her that they had discovered her father’s head in a warehouse among more than 100 other bodies, despite believing he had donated his body to science.
Farrah Fasold’s father, Harrold Dillard, passed away at the age of 56 in 2009 after battling cancer. Prior to his death, a company named BioCare had approached him while he was in hospice care, suggesting the option of donating his remains for medical training purposes.
Describing her father’s reaction, Farrah mentioned that he saw it as a way to alleviate the burden on his family and considered it a selfless act. The family was assured that any unused parts of his body would be cremated, and his ashes would be returned without charge.
Following his death on Christmas Eve in 2009, Farrah was shocked to receive a call months later informing her that her father’s head had been found. This revelation left her devastated, as she expressed that her family would not have consented to the donation if they had known about the possibility of body parts being sold.
An investigation revealed that the bodies had been dismembered with a coarse cutting tool, such as a chainsaw. It was suspected that a company involved in body acquisition had taken her father’s body, possibly selling parts instead of fulfilling the promised cremation.
Farrah believed that her father’s body had been disrespected and mutilated, contrary to the assurances given by the company. This incident shed light on the practice of “body brokering,” where certain entities act as intermediaries, acquiring bodies for profit rather than strictly for scientific research purposes.
The lack of regulation in the body donation industry has raised concerns, with many individuals unknowingly contributing to a commercial market when intending to aid scientific advancement. Unlike the tightly regulated organ and tissue transplant sector, the trade of cadavers and body parts for research or educational purposes lacks federal oversight, creating a concerning environment.
Angela McArthur, who oversees a body donation program, likened the current situation to historical grave-robbing practices, emphasizing the urgent need for stricter regulations in the industry to prevent exploitation and ensure ethical treatment of donated bodies.