Undertaker grandma found crushed to death in her own funeral parlor
A funeral home employee in the United Kingdom died after becoming trapped beneath equipment used to move coffins into refrigeration storage, according to testimony presented at an inquest.
Sally Blundell, 58, a grandmother, was working alone when the incident occurred. Authorities said she became caught in a 440-pound scissor lift located in the chapel of rest at the funeral home.
Her body was discovered shortly after noon on December 1, 2023, by coworker Stephen Kemp. Kemp went to look for Blundell after she failed to appear for a scheduled viewing appointment with a grieving woman. The appointment had been arranged for about an hour earlier.
During the hearing at Norfolk Coroners Court, Kemp testified that when he found her, a hydraulic lifting device was pressing against her chest. He told the court it was immediately clear to him that she had already died.
Police officer Luke Heffer, who responded to the scene, said Blundell’s body was positioned within the metal frame of the machinery.
Jurors also heard testimony from Blundell’s daughter, Lucy, who said her mother had previously expressed concerns about being required to work alone at times. Surveillance footage shown during the proceedings indicated Blundell had entered the chapel of rest roughly two hours before she was found.
The court was told that security cameras are not installed in areas where bodies are stored.
A later inspection of the lift revealed a fault involving a spring connected to the control handle. The equipment had been checked in October 2023, and no problems were reported at that time.
The inquest, which is being considered by a jury, is ongoing.
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