A Texas mortician is accused of “experimenting” on bodies by injecting formaldehyde into body parts to observe “the effect it had over time on severed extremities.”
Adeline Ngan-Binh Bui, 50, the owner of Capital Mortuary Services in Austin, is accused of abuse of a corpse and five counts of tampering with government records, according to police.
The investigation began in early April, when the Texas Funeral Service Commission received a complaint alleging that the mortuary and its owner were “engaging in criminal conduct.” According to the probable cause arrest affidavit obtained by local NBC affiliate KXAN, the complaint was filed by a former mortuary employee.
The employee claimed that Bui used their name to correct or amend death certificates. It was also claimed that Bui was performing “experiments” on severed body parts, such as heads, arms, and spines, before cremation.
According to the affidavit, Bui admitted to directing her employees to investigate the “effects of embalming fluid with and without formaldehyde.” Police allege that the employees would inject formaldehyde into the body part and then observe the long-term effects. After the experiment was finished, the body parts would be cremated.
Bui reportedly stated that the experiments were completed on approximately 15 bodies. While some companies are allowed to do so, the funeral commission told cops that this is not permitted for a commercial mortuary.
“It is illegal for a commercial embalming establishment to use a dead human body for research or educational purposes,” the executive director allegedly stated.
The defendant also admitted to using the ex-employee’s name to change the death certificates. She claimed she only did so because the employee’s name appeared in a drop-down menu. Investigators reportedly discovered that Bui used the ex-employee’s name 128 times.
According to Bui’s attorney, the allegations require more context.
“This case involves complexities that are not immediately apparent and should not be sensationalized,” her attorney, Jessica Huynh of Smith & Vinson Law Firm, told KXAN.
Bui was arrested on April 18 and has since bonded out. Her next court hearing is set for May 9.
According to a press release, the Austin Police Department was “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.”
The investigation is ongoing.