Three people have been charged after allegedly removing a body part from a funeral home south of Brisbane, with the owner saying she was 'tricked into something very different.'
The two men, aged 47 and 38, and a woman, 43, attended Swanborough Funerals on Eastern Road at Browns Plains on Friday after arranging to view the body of a man known to them, Queensland Police said.
Police allege one of the men interfered with the corpse while at the premises before fleeing before police arrived. Two arrests were made at the funeral home, with the third made at a Browns Plains home later that evening.
Each has been charged with entering a premises with intent to commit an indictable offence, being armed with intent to enter a premises and commit an indictable offence, and misconduct with a corpse.
Owner Esther Swanborough told Nine News she was asked to leave the room "for cultural reasons" as the family gathered around their deceased father.
"When I came back in, they were acting very suspicious, and I said to them, 'What have you done?' – I was shocked that this has happened," she said.
"We've never seen anything like this before. We obviously, during this whole process, had the best intentions to be able to care for this family well, not realising that we were being tricked into something very different."
The three were scheduled to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Saturday. Police have not publicly identified the deceased man or detailed which body part was allegedly removed.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The alleged crime raises concerns about trust in funeral services and the treatment of deceased loved ones.
- The case highlights the legal protections around handling of human remains in Queensland.
- The trio face serious charges including misconduct with a corpse, which carries significant penalties.
Background
Swanborough Funerals is a funeral home in the Brisbane suburb of Browns Plains. The incident occurred on Friday after the family arranged to view the body of a man known to the three charged individuals.
What to Watch
- The trio's appearance in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Saturday, where they may face further charges or bail decisions.
- Police may release more details about the deceased man and the alleged removal of the body part as the investigation continues.
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThree people were charged over the alleged removal of a body part from a funeral home south of Brisbane.The Age - Latest News: “Trio charged after body part allegedly removed from funeral home.”
- SupportedPolice allege one man interfered with the corpse at the premises and fled before police arrived.The Age - Latest News: ““It is alleged one of the men interfered with the corpse whilst at the premises and fled the scene before police arrival,” a police spokesperson said.”
- SupportedThe owner said she was “tricked into something very different.”The Age - Latest News: “not realising that we were being tricked into something very different.”
- SupportedThe people who attended were two men aged 47 and 38 and a woman aged 43, and they had arranged to view the body of a man known to them.The Age - Latest News: “Queensland Police said two men and a woman attended the funeral home on Eastern Road at Browns Plains shortly before 1pm on Friday after arranging to view the body of a man who was known to them. The trio, the men aged 47 and 38 and the woman 43”
- SupportedTwo arrests were made at the funeral home and a third at a Browns Plains home later that evening.The Age - Latest News: “Two arrests were made at the Swanborough Funerals site, while the third was made at a Browns Plains home shortly before 6.30pm.”
- SupportedEach of the three was charged with the three stated offences.The Age - Latest News: “The trio, the men aged 47 and 38 and the woman 43, have each been charged with entering a premises with intent to commit an indictable offence, being armed with intent to enter a premises and commit an indictable offence, and misconduct with a corpse.”
- SupportedEsther Swanborough told Nine News she was asked to leave the room “for cultural reasons” while the family gathered around their deceased father.The Age - Latest News: “Owner Esther Swanborough told Nine News she was asked to leave the room “for cultural reasons” as the family gathered around their deceased father.”
- SupportedSwanborough said the people were acting suspiciously when she returned and that she was shocked by what had happened.The Age - Latest News: ““When I came back in, they were acting very suspicious, and I said to them, ‘What have you done?’ – I was shocked that this has happened,” she said.”
- SupportedSwanborough said they had never seen anything like this before and that they had intended to care for the family well.The Age - Latest News: ““We’ve never seen anything like this before. We obviously, during this whole process, had the best intentions to be able to care for this family well”
- SupportedThe three were scheduled to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Saturday.The Age - Latest News: “The charged trio were scheduled to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Saturday.”
- SupportedPolice have not publicly identified the deceased man or detailed which body part was allegedly removed.The Age - Latest News: “Police have not publicly identified the deceased man or detailed the body part allegedly removed.”