Funeral home investigated

Authorities are investigating allegations of fraud at Wilturner Funeral Home in Crowley.
Personnel from the Crowley Police Department and the Acadia Parish Coroner’s Office were at the funeral home, located at 577 N. Avenue C, Thursday afternoon after reports that the funeral home had failed to turn over cremated remains since December.
Details of the investigation were sketchy at press time Thursday and additional charges could be pending.
Clarence Anthony Arceneaux said his father, Clarence Anthony Milson, died on Dec. 12, 2015, and that the family had contracted Wilturner Funeral Home to cremate the body. All the service fees were paid “up front” according to Arceneaux.
“We held the services on Dec. 26 and we haven’t heard anything from (the funeral home) since then,” said Arceneaux, who was at the facility Thursday. “I tried calling and calling and they’d say, ‘Yeah, we’ll get right back with you,’ but they never did.”
Arceneaux, who said his sister from Houston finally called authorities to complain about the funeral home, said he went to there at about 1:30 p.m. on Thursday to again check on the remains and no one was there.
Before 3:30 p.m., authorities had wheeled two bodies from the building.
Arceneaux said he did not know if either of the bodies was that of his father.
“There’s no refrigeration in that building,” Arceneaux said. “They’ve had their electricity cut off more than once.
“This has been real hard on the family. We just want our remains so that our father can rest in peace.”
Police Chief K.P. said the case is being investigated by the coroner’s office.