In Greeley and Weld County, treating human remains in a way that would offend family members is charged as Abuse of a Corpse. A man is facing these charges after flushing his grandparent’s ashes down the toilet – which I think would suffice as offensive move. According to the report, the 33-year-old man was angry that his mother would not let him live at her house anymore, so as revenge, he took her parent’s ashes and flushed them. The man eventually admitted to the act and told his mother he would also flush her ashes when she died. The man was arrested and charged with two counts of Abuse of a Corpse.
Weld County Abuse of a Corpse Lawyer: Definition of Abuse of a Corpse / Flushing Ashes in Morgan County
The Weld, Morgan, and Logan County, Colorado law definition of Abuse of a Corpse – C.R.S. 18-13-101 – is:
(a) Removes the body or remains of any person from a grave or other place of sepulcher without the consent of the person who has the right to dispose of the remains pursuant to section 15-19-106, C.R.S; or
(b) Treats the body or remains of any person in a way that would outrage normal family sensibilities.
The man would be facing charges under subsection (b). I think it would be hard to argue that getting rid of someone’s remains in that matter would not outrage normal family sensibilities.
Sentence for Abuse of a Corpse in Erie and Evans
As a class 2 misdemeanor in Greeley, Erie, and Evans, Abuse of a Corpse is punishable by 3 to 12 months in the Weld County Jail and up to $1,000 in fines. If the two counts are run consecutively, then he would have to complete one sentence before beginning another, meaning worst case scenario, he could do 24 months.