Philadelphia Top Doc Thomas Farley Resigns Over Disposing of 1985 MOVE Bombing Victims Remains
On 5/13/21 at 5:37 PM EDT
Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley has resigned from his position over his mishandling of the remains of victims of the 1985 MOVE bombing, the mayor announced Tuesday. Earlier this week, I learned of a very disturbing incident involving the Philadelphia Department of Public Health that occurred during the first term of our administration, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said in a statement. Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley disclosed that several years ago he learned of remains found by the Medical Examiner s Office that belonged to victims of the 1985 MOVE bombing. Instead of fully identifying those remains and returning them to the family, he made a decision to cremate and dispose of them.
Updated on May 14, 2021 at 6:32 am
NBC Universal, Inc.
What to Know
Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley has resigned over his handling of the remains of the victims of the 1985 MOVE bombing, the city announced Thursday.
Farley learned of remains found by the Medical Examiner s Office that belonged to victims of the 1985 MOVE bombing but decided to cremate and dispose of them instead of fully identifying the remains and returning them to the family.
Kenney asked Farley to resign. His resignation comes on the 36-year anniversary of the MOVE bombing.
Thirty-six years ago, Philadelphia officials bombed an occupied home in West Philadelphia, killing six adults and five children. Now, city officials have admitted that some remains of the victims were discarded decades after the infamous MOVE bombing – without notifying the surviving family members.