U.S. judicial authorities have indicated that "the director of the Harvard Medical School morgue has been arrested on charges of stealing human organs and remains from his workplace and selling them." Federal prosecutor Gerard Karam from the Middle District of Pennsylvania stated that "Cedric Lodge, 55, is accused of trafficking in stolen human remains." He clarified in a statement that "some crimes are incomprehensible." The prosecutor considered it "an appalling matter, especially since many of the victims here volunteered to allow their bodies to be used for educating medical professionals, serving the interests of science and healing."
The indictment was directed at "the morgue director and his wife, Denise Lodge, along with five others accused of conspiracy as part of a national network for buying and selling human remains." According to the indictment, between 2018 and 2022, Lodge "stole organs and other parts from bodies donated for medical research and education prior to their cremation." The indictment further stated, "Lodge transported these remains from the morgue in Boston to his home in Goffstown, New Hampshire, where he and his wife sold the remains to two other defendants, Katrina McLean and Joshua Taylor."
It was also noted in the indictment that "Lodge sometimes allowed McLean and Taylor to enter the morgue to examine the bodies to select what they wanted to purchase." According to the prosecution, "defendants McLean and Taylor resold these human remains for financial gain." Harvard Medical School announced that Lodge was terminated from his position on May 6, expressing shock at such "extremely disturbing" incidents occurring on its campus.
