Doa Ana County buries unclaimed remains
Doña Ana County buried the remains of 23 indigent people whose bodies were never claimed.
The mass burial ceremony was held Wednesday morning at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Las Cruces, with County Spokesperson Jess Williams officiating the non-denominational service. About 20 people attended the ceremony.
“They were people like the rest of us and had hopes and dreams and aspirations. Our hope is that at least some of those were realized during their years here on earth,” said Doña Ana County Manager Julia Brown, “We want to honor them today and ask that they be accepted into the lord’s bosom so that they truly rest in peace.”
County officials said the bodies were cremated, and the remains and personal effects had been in the custody of the Doña Ana County Health and Human Services Department for two years, as required by state law.
No family or friends came forward during that period to claim the remains.
This is the largest number of unclaimed remains ever buried by the county. During the past five years, the county has buried the remains of 86 indigent people at St. Joseph’s Cemetery.
Doña Ana County pays $600, per body, for cremation services. The cemetery charges the county $1,000 per plot. Three plots were needed to bury the remains Wednesday.
Williams said the cost of Wednesday’s burials totaled $16,800.
The unclaimed remains of veterans are buried at Fort Bliss Cemetery with full military honors. All others are interred at St. Joseph Cemetery under a contract with St. Genevieve’s Catholic Church, county officials said.
