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Philadelphia’s city health commissioner resigned this week after saying he cremated and disposed of some of the remains of the 1985 MOVE bombing victims.
However, on Friday, it was unclear what exactly had happened as the city announced that the remains were discovered in a refrigerated section of the Medical Examiner’s Office.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said Thursday that Dr. Thomas Farley resigned effective Wednesday. He made the announcement on the 36th anniversary of the bombing, which the city carried out against members of the Black liberation group MOVE.
“This action lacked empathy for the victims, their family, and the deep pain that the MOVE bombing has brought to our city for nearly four decades,” Kenney said in a statement. “The Team investigating this incident will include individuals specifically approved by the Africa family and we will make every effort to resolve this matter to MOVE’s satisfaction.”
Mayor Jim Kenney said Friday that the remains of the bombing victims, which were thought to have been destroyed in 2017, were located at the medical examiner s office that afternoon.
Uncremated remains of MOVE bombing found after they were thought to have been destroyed, Kenney says phillyvoice.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from phillyvoice.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
However, attorney Leon A. Williams told NBC10 that he learned Friday night through the family of the MOVE victims that the remains were not destroyed after all. A subordinate of Farley s in 2017 decided not to follow the commissioner s orders and saved the remains, Williams said.
He said city officials called members of the Africa family, whose relatives died in the bombing in 1985, to let them know the remains were saved. Kenney confirmed that the remains were found in a statement late Friday. Late this afternoon, Medical Examiner’s Office (MEO) staff notified the Managing Director’s Office that a box labeled MOVE was located in a refrigerated area at their office, Kenney said. After comparing the contents of the box to an inventory of bone specimens and fragments from 2017, they appear to be the remains thought to have been cremated four years ago.
However, attorney Leon A. Williams told NBC10 that he learned Friday night through the family of the MOVE victims that the remains were not destroyed after all. A subordinate of Farley s in 2017 decided not to follow the commissioner s orders and saved the remains, Williams said.
He said city officials called members of the Africa family, whose relatives died in the bombing in 1985, to let them know the remains were saved. Kenney confirmed that the remains were found in a statement late Friday. Late this afternoon, Medical Examiner’s Office (MEO) staff notified the Managing Director’s Office that a box labeled MOVE was located in a refrigerated area at their office, Kenney said. After comparing the contents of the box to an inventory of bone specimens and fragments from 2017, they appear to be the remains thought to have been cremated four years ago.