6 bodies, 154 cremated remains removed from illegal cremation company in California

HAYWARD, Calif. — A crematorium with a suspended license was reportedly found in possession of multiple remains at a warehouse in Hayward, California.

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The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said that six bodies and 154 cremated remains that were found in a warehouse in Hayward on March 1 were linked to Oceanview Cremations. According to KRON, Oceanview Cremations used to be a crematorium that had its business license suspended in March 2018.

The company’s suspended business license prohibited it from storing any human remains on its premises, the news outlet reported.

The California Cemetary and Funeral Board contacted the Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau at the end of February and reported that the company was still operating, according to KTVU.

“Family members indicated that after their calls to Oceanview Cremations’ owner, Robert Smith, went unanswered, they believed their loved ones had been cremated or scattered at sea as requested,” the sheriff’s office said, according to KTVU.

All of the remains have been identified except for one, according to the news outlet. The reason that one has not been identified is because the owner, Smith, could not provide any information about the death. Smith was also unable to provide any next of kin information.

Authorities said the bodies and the cremated remains were stored with Oceanview Cremations from 2013 to 2021, KTVU reported.

Families of the bodies and remains that were located at the warehouse have been contacted by authorities. According to KRON, families previously tried to contact Smith but never heard back. The families reportedly assumed that the remains were cremated or were scattered at sea as they had requested, according to the television station.