1,780 Unclaimed Dead in LA County in 2018 Cremated and Buried Wednesday in Mass Grave

A non-denominational interfaith virtual burial ceremony will be held by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, L.A. County Department of Health Services, Department of Decedent Affairs and LAC+USC Medical Center Chaplains at the Los Angeles County Crematory and Cemetery to remember and honor the unclaimed dead. Local faith leaders will preside over the burial of 1,780 decedents in a single mass grave.

To continue the tradition of honoring the unclaimed dead, event organizers will show a brief virtual ceremony so Los Angeles County residents can watch safely from home.

Date: December 1, 2021

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Ceremony Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/424531369300503/?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%2252%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22[%7B%5C%22surface%5C%22%3A%5C%22share_link%5C%22%2C%5C%22mechanism%5C%22%3A%5C%22share_link%5C%22%2C%5C%22extra_data%5C%22%3A%7B%5C%22invite_link_id%5C%22%3A422383832710919%7D%7D]%22%7D

Program Link: https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A778b8f75-3a04-4f16-a34e-1e02d85e0287&utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=#pageNum=1

About the Ceremony

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors conducts an annual non-denominational, interfaith burial ceremony. The interfaith ceremony includes the Lord's prayer in various languages and a multiple of religions will be represented. This year's public event will honor 1,780 individuals who passed away in 2018. The County of Los Angeles has been conducting burials of the unclaimed dead since 1896.

About Department of Decedent Affairs

The Office of Decedent Affairs handles cremation and burial for indigent/unclaimed individuals who die within Los Angeles County jurisdiction. These individuals may be homeless or have no next of kin. There is a three year wait between year of death and burial to allow family members to come forward to claim cremated remains before burial. A couple of days before the ceremony, ashes are placed in a single mass grave. A marker indicating the year of cremation is placed atop the plot. The Office of Decedent Affairs works with families to facilitate cremains retrieval prior to burial.