KMPH Fox 26 Central San Joaquin Valley News Source in Fresno, California Entertainment, News, Sports and Weather | Maggots make themselves at home at Fresno County Morgue

Maggots make themselves at home at Fresno County Morgue

By: Ashley Ritchie

Fresno, CA- When our loved ones pass, the hope is they go to a better place.

But for most of us, this is not what we imagine.

"Yesterday when I came down into the morgue, there were flies dive-bombing us and dive-bombing the deceased. Looking around the ground, we noticed that there were maggots throughout the building," Kellie Wiefel, Fresno County Deputy Coroner, said.

"We have to worry about them, an infestation in the bodies that we bring in of other people's loved ones. This is a real problem," Dr. David Hadden, Fresno County Coroner, said.

Hadden says while it's normal to have a few maggots come in on the bodies; somehow they've invaded the walls.

"This is due to the fact that this is such an old, decrepit building. And also it's due to the fact that we don't have air conditioning. So on these hot days we use a swamp cooler, which makes this room moist and very warm. That's an ideal condition for raising maggots," Hadden said.

But the solution isn't as simple as calling the exterminator.

The coroner's office did that Tuesday and the maggots came back.

"We're trying to cover the bodies with sheets, in hopes that flies do not land on them," Wiefel said.

"We're working on this project. We're gonna do it just as soon as possible, should've done it sooner. We haven't. We weren't able to. But we're working on it," Fresno County Supervisor Phil Larson said.

Larson says even though a site is ready for the new morgue, the board had to delay building it a few weeks ago because of budget uncertainties.

But he says the new nuisance will make it a top priority. And though he hates saying "sit tight", that's what employees will have to do.

"When people are uncomfortable and people are working in difficult situations, ‘oh have patience', while I sit in an air-conditioned office, that doesn't look good. But that's where it's at," Larson said.

And as for the workers and deceased loved ones, they'll stay in this morgue until a solution is found.

And they hope it's one that doesn't include a dilapidated building and multiplying maggots.

As of Wednesday, autopsies have been put on hold at the morgue.

The coroner says there's just too much risk of the maggots spreading.

Meanwhile, the boards of supervisors say the topic of allowing the new building to begin construction will more than likely be taken up within the next 60 days.

Money from the new morgue is coming from the Tobacco Securitization Fund which is only designated for bricks and mortar projects.