A Logan funeral director with 30 years’ experience has been shaken after giving a family a moment of reflection with a deceased relative, only for them to allegedly remove a piece of the corpse.
Esther Swanborough, 58, runs Swanborough Funerals at Browns Plains south of Brisbane, offering her service 24 hours, seven days a week.
But on Friday, she and her team were shocked during a family’s visit to a deceased relative.
Police allege that, just before 1pm on Friday, two men and a woman attended the home after arranging to view the body of a deceased man known to them.
‘It is alleged one of the men interfered with the corpse whilst at the premises and fled the scene before police arrival,’ Queensland Police said in a statement.
He was arrested hours later, just before 6.30pm at a Browns Plains residence. The other man and woman were arrested at the scene.
‘Everyone is shocked. Based on our understanding, this appeared to be a premeditated act,’ Ms Swanborough told the Daily Mail on Saturday.
‘When we realised what had occurred, we rang the police immediately. It was a shocking event for all of our team.’
Esther Swanborough (pictured) runs Swanborough Funerals at Browns Plains in Logan
The funeral director was shaken after giving a family a moment of reflection with their deceased relative, only for them to allegedly remove a piece of the corpse
Ms Swanborough said she had caught the alleged incident by the three individuals, who she said were not from the Logan area, when she returned to ask them some questions.
‘I was personally asked [to step out] and they said, ‘We have our cultural reasons’,’ she said.
‘I always go and check to see how they [visitors] are doing. I had some specific requests from the family, which is why I went back into the room.
‘This had nothing to do with culture. This was not a cultural practice. It was something very different.’
Ms Swanborough said the scene had shocked her.
‘As funeral directors, we are good at reading people. I realised something untoward [appeared to be] going on,’ she said.
‘I confronted them. What happened is not acceptable, morally or ethically.
‘I have been a funeral director for 30 years and I have never experienced anything like this. Any funeral home would have been in the same position.’
Ms Swanborough, who has been in her role for three decades, said her team have protocols in place and, while shocked and disappointed, they were doing well
Ms Swanborough, who has been in her role for three decades, said her team have protocols in place and, while shocked and disappointed, they were doing well.
‘Our focus has been to care for our team members as well as for the deceased,’ she said.
The 47-year-old man, a 38-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman were all charged on Friday.
They were all hit with one count each of entering a premises with intent to commit an indictable offence, being armed with intent to enter a premises and commit an indictable offence and misconduct with a corpse.
During a mention of all three’s cases at Brisbane Magistrates Court on Saturday, Magistrate Peter Saggers said the group had several sharp implements, according to The Courier-Mail.
‘Just reading the bench charge sheets, they’re entering Swanborough Funerals home at Browns Plains, whilst armed with scissors, scalpels, and blades to commit an offence, and then, without justification, interfered, namely, wounded a dead body,’ he said.
The 47-year-old man did not apply for bail. He was remanded in custody to face Beenleigh Magistrates Court on November 12.
The 38-year-old man’s case was adjourned due to the need for a Korean interpreter. He has been remanded in custody and will next front court on November 10.
The woman also did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody. She will next appear in court via video link on December 7.
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