KMEX-TV's "Noticias Univision 34" has broken a story that maggot infestations affect up to 40% of the bodies kept at the Los Angeles County Coroner's facility on Mission Road. The station's press release says that "Noticias Univision 34" reporter Oswaldo Borraez "has obtained confidential documents, numerous pictures, video and an exclusive interview with an anonymous L.A. County Coroner employee detailing the situation." The problem is improper refrigeration and placement of bodies in protective body bags. Good story (if true), but here's a strange aspect that a county source pointed out to me. In 2002 KMEX broke a story about rats at a separate coroner crypt where 61 bodies were held in long term storage—and the same quote used by the station's secret source in 2002 comes out of a source's mouth in this week's press release.

From City News Service coverage on April 8, 2002:

According to KMEX's source, the "county knew about this over a year ago ... Cases (of improper handling) date back to 1995. Literally hundreds of bodies are decomposing. It is a health hazard to the community and the L.A. County Coroner employees."

The source, whose face and voice were masked during the interview, also stated that "some family members do not know that their relative is being or has been partially mutilated by the rodents."

From this week's release:

During the interview by Borraez, the source stated, "The County knew about this over a year ago ... Cases (of improper handling) date back to 1995. Literally hundreds of bodies are decomposing. It is a health hazard to the community and L.A. County Coroner employees."

One of the sources, whose image and voice was masked during KMEX-TV's Spanish-language interview with Borraez, also stated, "Family members do not know that their relatives are being or have been improperly handled."

Too close for comfort.