Chicago building inspectors returned to the South Chicago Chapel on Friday, conducting a comprehensive examination of the South Side funeral home where more than 50 decomposing bodies were discovered over the summer.
Inside the Municipal Inspection at South Chicago Chapel
Chicago police officers stood by on Friday morning as building inspectors examined the property and took photographs, abc7chicago.com reported. The visit comes over two months after authorities ordered the building shut down following the discovery of 55 decaying bodies.
According to a statement from the city’s Department of Buildings, specialists from the electrical, new construction (carpentry), plumbing, and demolition bureaus all participated in Friday’s assessment. The agency stated that inspectors will present their formal findings in court during the next scheduled hearing on October 29, 2026.
Clark Morgan, one of the funeral home’s owners, was present during the inspection. No charges have been filed against the owners to date, though the City of Chicago previously filed a lawsuit against Clark and Johanna Morgan seeking fines of $11,500 per day. That August lawsuit alleged 23 building code violations, including work performed without permits and failing to keep the property “clean, sanitary, and safe.”
Unanswered Questions and Grief for Impacted Families
For families who entrusted their loved ones to the facility, the return of inspectors does little to ease lingering trauma. Marshawna Campbell arranged her mother’s funeral and cremation through the South Chicago Chapel and remains deeply troubled by how remains were handled.
“I still think they should go to jail, I still feel the same way, that we have unanswered questions. I still feel like they need to be held accountable,” Campbell said, as reported by abc7chicago.com. Campbell added that finding cremated remains that looked like chunks of white substance in her mother’s urn left her questioning the validity of the returned remains.
Activists and a family impacted by the discovery called for the building’s demolition during Friday’s proceedings. Lisette Guillen, a crisis responder and case manager with Case Files Chicago, voiced strong sentiments shared by many neighborhood residents regarding the fate of the building.
“This is a house of horrors that we are standing next to,” Guillen said. “It probably should just be knocked down nothing else should go into this building.”
The Path to the October 29 Court Hearing
While municipal authorities review the structural and sanitary integrity of the chapel, the broader fallout has triggered wider calls for death care reform across Illinois. The Cook County Medical Examiner identified 55 bodies from the funeral home.
As the legal battle unfolds, city officials and attorneys representing the owners prepare for the upcoming court date. The Department of Buildings will officially submit its comprehensive evaluation to the court on October 29, 2026.
