An Indiana funeral home is facing what will likely turn into a class-action lawsuit. The funeral home is accused of mishandling over two dozen corpses and failing to properly process and distribute the ashes of deceased individuals.

The civil lawsuit is the result of an investigation into the Lankford Funeral Home after a third party reported a foul odor coming from the facility. When officers arrived at the funeral home, they were able to quickly pick up on the scent of decomposing bodies. The investigation, which is still in its early stages, uncovered at least 16 cremated remains and the bodies of 31 individuals, some of which were in the advanced stages of decomposition.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Nicole Lorey’s estate by her parents, mother Cynthia Lorey Cooke, and father, Jeff Lorey. The parents are suing the funeral home for negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

According to the family, Lorey passed away on June 14th and her body was sent to the funeral home for cremation. After weeks of not receiving their daughter’s cremated remains, Lorey’s parents detail that the funeral home’s owner Randy Lankford gave a number of excuses about why their daughter's ashes were not yet delivered.

The Lorey family details that the funeral home initially said that their daughter had not been cremated, later adding that an urn for her cremated remains had been ordered but not received. Because of this, the funeral home could not release their daughter's remains.

Despite having requested their daughter be cremated, the family details in their lawsuit that they fear their daughter may be among the 31 decomposing bodies.

According to the family's lawyer, Larry Wilder, the family will petition the court to have their lawsuit become a class-action suit in order to represent the families of the other individuals found in the funeral home.

The family of James “Mike” Settle recounted a similar experience with local reporters. Settle’s family details that when they asked the funeral home about their son's remains, the funeral home owner gave similar excuses as to why their son’s remains were not received.

Because the investigation is still in its early stages, it is not yet clear what charges will be brought against the funeral home, its owner, and other responsible parties. Clark County prosecutor Jeremy Mull shared with a local outlet, The Herald Bulletin, that once he receives reports from the law enforcement investigation, appropriate charges will be determined.

Larry Wilder, who is representing several families along with Lorey’s family, shared with reporters that many of the families of the victims were heartbroken about the gruesome discovery with many reliving the grief of losing their loved one for a second time. Wilder explains, “I have heard, you know, over and over and time again from these families, the expression of the feeling that they failed, you know, to fulfill their last obligation.”

The Clark County Coroner's Office along with the Jeffersonville Police Department is continuing the investigation in an effort to identify all the bodies found. They believe that they will be able to successfully do so.