The family of a Covid-19 victim who died on March 25, 2020 at the age of 67, lodged a complaint after the cremation considered too rapid of this one, that is to say only 5:30 after his death.

An investigation was opened by the prosecutor's office of Châlons-en-Champagne for "attacking the integrity of the corpse" and "forgery and use of forgery".

The Châlons-en-Champagne prosecutor's office opened a preliminary investigation for "infringement of the integrity of the corpse" and "forgery and use" after a complaint filed by the children of a man who died of Covid-19 during the first confinement and quickly cremated, he said on Tuesday.

"At this stage, it is about the qualification denounced by the plaintiffs. According to the first elements, it is not about a 'forced cremation' but they denounce a too fast cremation of the body by the authorized services , which deprived them of the possibility of coming to meditate near the coffin, "said prosecutor Ombeline Mahuzier, confirming information from Mediapart.

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"Investigations are underway, which will have to make it possible in particular to establish the facts, but also the qualification of a possible criminal offense", she specifies.

According to the family lawyer, Anna Branellec, the complaint was filed on January 25 by the children of Patrick Grasset, who died of Covid-19 on March 25, 2020 at the age of 67, against the funeral director and the mayor of Châlons-en-Champagne "for having cremated Patrick Grasset only 5.30 hours after his death, while the law stipulates a period of at least 24 hours".

A cremation 2:45 before the scheduled time

The children, living in the Paris region, "did not even have time to come and pray," lamented the lawyer.

"We are also filing a complaint for forgery and use (of forgery, editor's note) because the contract signed with the funeral director indicated that the cremation of Patrick Grasset was to take place at 3:15 p.m. However, by calling the company at 12:30 p.m., his daughter learned that the cremation was already underway, 2:45 before the scheduled time. The mayor violated the law and the funeral director failed in its obligations, "she further explained.

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The children of the deceased were heard on January 27, according to the prosecutor. "This complaint follows a previous complaint filed by the same children of the deceased in 2020 for manslaughter and non-assistance to a person in danger and relating to the medical follow-up of their father before his death on March 25, 2020, also entrusted to the Châlons police station. Two separate procedures have been opened, "said the prosecutor.

According to Me Branellec, the first complaint was filed "against Patrick Grasset's doctor and the Samu for poor care". Contacted, the chief of staff of the mayor of Châlons-en-Champagne, in charge of the funeral police, by law, says, however, that no complaint has so far been filed against the town hall, or against the mayor.