Uvalde gunman's body left in morgue for almost a month after funeral homes refused to take it
The Uvalde gunman's body was left in a morgue for nearly a month after funeral homes refused to accept him, it has been reported.
Salvador Ramos, 18, killed 19 children and two adults after entering Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and opening fire on students and teachers.
Following the attack, which unfolded on 24 May, Ramos was shot and killed by police officers.
But it wasn't until three and a half weeks after the incident that the teen's body was cremated more than 80 miles away in San Antonio.
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Local funeral homes Rushing-Estes-Knowles and Hillcrest Memorial have said they were busy dealing with the passing of the victims and didn't want to prioritise the perpetrator over the families who had lost a loved one.
Speaking to the Houston Chronicle, Eulalio 'Lalo' Diaz Jr of the Uvalde County Justice of the Peace said: "Once they got to him, the funeral homes in town said, 'We don’t want to deal with him'."
"I had to store him for three weeks. As the funerals for the victims were going on, I was still dealing with what to do with him. It was a stressful time."
He later added: "It took three, three and a half weeks to get him released to the family. They were fighting with each other."
Taylor Michelle Massey, managing funeral director at Rushing-Estes-Knowles, told the outlet that the mortuary wouldn't accept Ramos' body in order to respect his victims' families, adding that it didn't feel 'appropriate'.
She explained: "All of our staff grew up in Uvalde County and attended school in Uvalde County and believe that everyone deserves a dignified and respectful funeral service.
"However, in the weeks following the shootings of May 24th, we were caring for 17 families... through what is probably the most difficult time in their lives.
"Under the circumstance, we did not feel it would be appropriate or in the best interest of the families for which we were caring to take custody of the remains of the individual that caused their pain."
The tragedy in Uvalde is the deadliest school shooting in Texas history, and it added to a grim tally of mass shootings in the state in recent years.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677
Daisy Phillipson