Oklahoma, MI – Jewish Man Cremated Without Family’s Permission

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    Anthony Bernstein's family said he had been missing for two years since being arrested in 2007 and placed in the Oklahoma County Jail.Oklahoma, MI – A grieving Oklahoma mother says she and her family have endured something no one should have to go through. For two years she had no idea where her son was. Then, she found out he had died while in jail. What happened to his body after death has her in tears and speaking out.

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    September 20th, 2007 is the day Amber Bernstein’s son, Anthony, passed away. But she never knew it until last year. That is because for two years, Anthony was missing.

    Now, what happened in those two years is still somewhat of a mystery. But, here is what Bernstein’s been able to piece together. She says her son was picked up in 2007 on a probation violation warrant and put into the Oklahoma county jail.

    While he was there, he became ill and was taken to a hospital where he died.

    After that, his body was cremated.

    “And, I go, ‘Cremated? He can’t be cremated. You have to die [first]. You can’t just be cremated,’ said Bernstein. “They burned him.

    Bernstein’s family is furious because nobody told them about Anthony’s death and nobody asked about them about the cremation – something the family opposes because of their Jewish faith.

    “That’s all I thought about since,” she said. “They burned him, just like Hitler.”

    The family blames the state’s medical examiner’s office, because it’s the agency that issues permits for cremations, but a spokeswoman for the agency says it followed proper procedure.

    “We issued the permit and that was it,” said Cherokee Ballard, with the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office. “This was not a case that we investigated. We issued the permit.”

    The M.E.’s Office says it is not responsible for notifying families on cases it does not handle, and Anthony’s case is one handled by another agency.

    But, Bernstein’s attorney disagrees. She says if the M.E.’s Office is going to sign off on a cremation permit, it should verify that all parties have been notified of what’s to come.

    “They failed in their duty of doing a basic investigation in finding family members who’ve been here all their lives,” said Jaye Mendros, Amber Bernstein’s Attorney.


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    31 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Frighteningly sad story.
    Why has it only come to light in the media 3 years after his death?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Jails trample religious rights of prisoners even when they’re dead.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    it kino smells like destroying all evidence, don’t it?

    Loshon Hora
    Loshon Hora
    13 years ago

    I feel terrible for this niftar, it doesn’t sound like he was normal nor well. I also have a feeling he was beaten by the jailers, so they made away with the evedence, he was very likely murdered, by the vey people who are paid to enforce the law.If that happened he was Neherag Al kidush Hashem,[after a very loanly life] & not given a Kevrah, which the Mekoinen says: Byoim Evroh Loi Yireh Zaam, on the day of anger he will not see wrath.
    However where were the family until now? It took a year of him missing to find out he was picked up on a probation warrent? a year & no one in the family noticed him missing? My goodness please take care of the singles in your family & community. Look what could happen chas Veshalom. Will you be able to say Our hannds did not spill this blood?
    I guess they are going to sue for millions, but the judge may turn around and ask what did you care about him, what did you do for him,or have to do with him? I believe compensation is based on that.
    Although I am sure there will be a major investigation, and possible cover up.

    formally
    formally
    13 years ago

    they don’t tell family members when a prisoner get sick or dies. Somethings need to be done about that

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    What I don’t get is if they didn’t bother to look for family to notify, why would cremation be the default option? If you don’t know what the person/their family would want, want wouldn’t you go the traditional route of regular old burial?

    feivelbenmishael
    feivelbenmishael
    13 years ago

    GEVALT! GEVALT! GEVALT!

    Hashem should avenge him. Such injustice.
    You know why things like this happen? Because the average government worker knows that they personally have very little liability. There is no reason for anyone to be careful or fact check or anything of that nature.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Who ever is responsible for this should lose their job. But that’s unlikely, it will probably just end up being covered up.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    They are covering up so much they don’t know what the truth is. They will probably lose the hospital medical records or doctor them, fudge them up!!

    murder?
    murder?
    13 years ago

    Sounds like they murdered him and did that to conceal it.

    G-d have mercy on anyone in the Jail system, it is a very cruel and dangerous place. Lawless.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    something is missing in the story. what does it mean he was missing for two years-..didnt anyone in the family care enough to be in touch with him….. something very wrong with the whole story

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Strange that the story does not mention the official cause of death.

    Dave
    Dave
    13 years ago

    I see the tinfoil brigade is out.

    Prisoner does not give contact information for family.

    Prisoner dies while incarcerated.

    ME determines that there was no foul play, and gives authorization for cremation.

    Cremation occurs.

    No conspiracy, no coverup.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Several years ago, Michael Jordan’s father decided to pull his car over at night, and take a nap on a state highway. He was murdered by a robber, who came upon him sleeping in his car. In that case, the medical examiner also made the despicable decision to cremate Mr. Jordan, without notifying the family. I think that this practice is more common than people think. Instead of searching for immediate family, in an effort to identify remains, some counties don’t want to go to the expense of keeping a deceased person in a funeral home. Hence, they order a cremation. Also, there are times when medical examiners, because of carelessness and incompetence have the wrong person cremated.

    Liepa
    Liepa
    13 years ago

    What a tragedy. I think the parents of this poor person should sue the responsible agency for all they could. I’m usually very against suing, our country is over litigated. But this case is an exception.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    You seem to have said you C’V’S don’t believe what it says in the midrash, if that’s the case then you are aa apikores!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    In my opinion – His soul is in major pain and shock…we must help him! (ANtohiny Bernstein)

    light a candle for him..learn mishnah for him , say some Tehilim and give tzedah for him…

    help a brother out.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    A young man is arrested for a parole violation, i.e., he stood trial was convicted and has a lawyer or a public defender that has case information and shouls have been contacted. The young man dies in prison…. from….. coronor’s report? Body is immediately cremated. Lawyer? Public defender? Warden? Hospital? Medical examiner? Someone has to attempt contacting a family. This smells worse than Jordan’s father after 10 days in the creek.