Rising Funeral Costs Lead to Increased Unclaimed Bodies in Lycoming County
Economic pressures are leading many to forgo life or burial insurance, increasing incidences where families cannot afford funeral costs. Lycoming County Coroner Charles Kiessling highlights that many individuals live paycheck to paycheck and are unable to cover expenses for direct cremation, which can run into several thousand dollars. When families cannot pay funeral costs, the coroner's office often must step in to manage unclaimed bodies, as required by Pennsylvania statute.