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HomeMy WebLinkAbout14-03-28 717 E. Brundage Ln Beloved Care Funeral Home Update 2 13-260461 BAKERSFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT PRESS RELEASE Greg Williamson, Chief of Police Contact: Sergeant Joe Grubbs Public Information Officer 661-326-3803 jgrubbs@bakersfieldpd.us For Immediate Release March 28, 2014 The Kern County District Attorney’s Office has issued an arrest warrant for James Gamble, 58, of Bakersfield, owner of Beloved Care Funeral home. The misdemeanor warrant issued is for violation of three counts of California Health and Safety code 7103B (Any unlicensed person acting in a capacity in which a license from the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau upon whom the duty of interment is imposed by law, who omits to perform that duty within a reasonable time). Attempts to locate Gamble have thus far been fruitless. Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Detective Blaine Craig at (661) 326-3541 or the Bakersfield Police Department at (661) 327-7111. Previous Release January 9, 2014 Bakersfield Police detectives are conducting a fraud investigation into the financial practices of the Beloved Care Funeral Home. That investigation is on-going at this time. The Kern County Coroner’s Office has identified all nine decedents that were located in the funeral home. Families of four of the decedents have been contacted. The Coroner’s office is in the process of locating and contacting the remaining five families. The Kern County Coroner’s Office role in this investigation is providing the decedents family’s with their options regarding the disposition of their loved ones. Those options include fulfilling their contract with Beloved Care Funeral Home, choosing another funeral home or a cremation facilitated by the Kern County Coroner’s Office. The Bakersfield Police Department is seeking any information from people who have done business with the Beloved Care Funeral Home and believe they may have been defrauded. Those people are encouraged to call Detective Blaine Craig at (661) 326- 3541 or the Bakersfield Police Department at (661) 327-7111. 13-260461 Previous Release January 8, 2014 On January 7, 2014, Bakersfield Police detectives were summoned to the Beloved Care Funeral Home at 717 E. Brundage Ln. by the Kern County Coroner’s Office regarding nine bodies that were not being adequately housed and a financial investigation. A California Department of Consumer Affairs Cemetery and Funeral Bureau representative was also on scene conducting an investigation into the business practices of the funeral home. On January 8, 2014, detectives and Bakersfield Code Enforcement officers responded back to the scene to conduct further investigation into licensing compliance of the facility. All of these investigations are on-going. The Kern County Coroner’s Office removed the bodies from the funeral home and is working to identify the bodies and contact the next of kin. Additional information regarding this investigation will be forthcoming on January 9, 2014. Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call the Bakersfield Police Department at (661) 327-7111. You can now send an anonymous text message to the Bakersfield Police Department. It’s quick and it’s easy. Simply enter 274637 into your phone and text BPDCRIMES along with your message. The text is sent to the police department and the sender remains completely anonymous. Tips can also be anonymously sent through the smartphone “TipSubmit” mobile App or via email at https://www.tipsubmit.com.