Warning: This story contains details some readers may find distressing.
A U.S. mortuary employee has been arrested over claims she dismembered corpses to perform experiments on them.
Adeline Ngan-Binh Bui has been charged with abuse of a corpse without legal authority and tampering with government records to defraud or cause harm, Travis County court documents show.
Highlights
- Adeline Bui, a U.S. mortuary employee, was arrested for corpse misconduct and falsifying documents.
- Bui allegedly experimented on corpses before cremating them.
- She reportedly used a former employee's name on death certificates.
- Experiments included injecting formaldehyde into severed limbs and cutting body parts.
The 50-year-old allegedly experimented on the arms of corpses at Capital Mortuary Services in north Austin before cremating the severed limbs, KXAN reports.
Bui is listed as the owner of the property online.
Bui reportedly injected a chemical into severed limbs and used a former employee's name on death certificates
Image credits: Austin Police Department
The Austin Police Department (APD) was informed that an internal investigation was being launched by the Texas Funeral Service Commission (TFSC) into Bui on April 2.
On April 10, the TFSC sent a cease and desist letter to Capital Mortuary.
It came after a former employee made a formal complaint to TFSC, claiming Bui had “fraudulently initiated and obtained at least 10 death certificates under his name.”
He said he was aware of “experiments” Bui would allegedly conduct on corpses’ arms, according to KXAN.
Image credits: KXAN
Bui’s arrest affidavit, seen by multiple news outlets, said the experiments involved her injecting formaldehyde into severed arms to see “the effect it had over time on severed extremities.”
A conversation thread titled “Freedom Art Experiment” was allegedly found on her work computer and showed images and updates on the experiments.
During a police interview, Bui told officers she “directed her employees to conduct experiments on bodies to study the effects of embalming fluid with and without formaldehyde.”
This included “cutting heads, arms and spines from remains sent to her facility.”
A police investigation also found that Bui had used the former employee’s name on 128 death certificates, to either amend or complete them.
Image credits: Austin Police Department
“Our criminal justice system is based on the presumption of innocence and a careful, critical evaluation of the evidence, facts, and their sources,” Bui’s legal team said in a statement to FOX 7.
“This case involves complexities that are not immediately apparent and should not be sensationalized.
“Our legal team remains fully committed to defending and advocating for our client, Adeline Bui, with the expectation of fairness and due process.”
The ADP said in a statement: “The TFSC’s administrative investigation and APD’s criminal investigations remain open and ongoing.
“APD and the TFSC are committed to enforcing state regulations, protecting the public from predatory practices, and ensuring that decedent remains are treated with dignity and respect in accordance with Texas law.”