Harvard Medical School Morgue Manager Faces Charges for Selling Donated Body Parts

Harvard Medical School is reeling from the shocking revelation that its former morgue manager, Cedric Lodge, stands accused of engaging in the illicit trade of donated body parts. In a disturbing turn of events, federal prosecutors have charged Lodge and six others for their alleged involvement in a nationwide network that bought and sold stolen remains, pilfered from both the esteemed medical institution and an Arkansas mortuary.

Lodge, aged 55, and his wife, Denise Lodge, 63, residents of Goffstown, New Hampshire, and three others have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pennsylvania on charges of conspiracy and interstate transport of stolen goods. Another defendant, Jeremy Pauley, 41, of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, faces separate charges. Candace Chapman Scott, previously indicted in Arkansas, completes the group of individuals implicated in this shocking operation.

According to the prosecutors, Lodge took advantage of his position between 2018 and 2022 to extract body parts from donated cadavers undergoing dissection at Harvard Medical School. These stolen remains included heads, brains, skin, and bones, all slated for scheduled cremation. The Lodges then collaborated with various recipients, including Katrina Maclean, 44, of Salem, Massachusetts, the proprietor of the unsettlingly named store “Kat’s Creepy Creations” and Joshua Taylor, 46, of West Lawn, Pennsylvania, to distribute the pilfered body parts.

Prosecutors further revealed that Lodge even permitted Maclean, Taylor, and others to enter the morgue, allowing them to personally select the desired body parts. In a chilling transaction, Maclean agreed to purchase two dissected faces from Lodge for $600 in October 2020. Maclean, known for her store’s Instagram presence, specialized in selling and storing the illicit remains under the banner of “creepy dolls, oddities,” and “bone art.”

The extent of this disturbing network’s operations extended beyond Maclean’s store. In June or July of 2021, Maclean allegedly shipped human skin to Jeremy Pauley, who sought his services to convert it into leather. Furthermore, Taylor transferred over $37,000 in electronic payments to Denise Lodge for the stolen body parts obtained from her husband’s criminal activities. Notably, one payment memo read “head number 7,” while another referenced “braiiiiiins.”

The prosecutors also revealed that Pauley purchased remains from Candace Chapman Scott, who stole body parts from the Little Rock mortuary and crematory where she was employed. Shockingly, among the stolen remains were the corpses of two stillborn babies, intended for cremation and return to their grieving families.

“Some crimes defy understanding,” Gerard M. Karam, the U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, said in a statement. “The theft and trafficking of human remains strikes at the very essence of what makes us human.”

In response to these deeply disturbing allegations, Harvard Medical School’s Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, George Q. Daley, and Dean for Medical Education, Edward M. Hundert, expressed their profound disappointment and labeled the accused’s actions as an “abhorrent betrayal.” They reassured the Harvard Medical School community that investigators believed Lodge acted independently, without the knowledge or cooperation of anyone else at the university. The school is actively cooperating with authorities to identify affected donated cadavers.

Christopher Opiel, the legal representative for Taylor, chose not to provide any statement regarding the charges. George B. Morledge IV, the lawyer representing Scott, stated that his client has pleaded not guilty and is currently awaiting a mental health evaluation while in custody.

“Before we start jumping to conclusions about what was going on with Ms. Scott,” Mr. Morledge said, “we need to let this play out in the court system.”

The Lodges made their initial court appearances in Concord, New Hampshire, on Wednesday. According to The Associated Press, they were released on their own recognizance following the court proceedings. As they exited the courthouse, they declined to provide any comments.

Information for this briefing was found via The New York Times and the sources mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.

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