Grieving families hold vigil, demand answers after decomposed remains found at Chicago funeral home

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A vigil got underway Sunday for families who are demanding answers from South Chicago Chapel about their loved ones.

Dozens of decomposing remains were found improperly stored at the funeral home earlier this month.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Many of these families are still emotional and frustrated as they seek information about the whereabouts of their relatives' remains.

The funeral home has been under investigation since the remains of 56 people were discovered on Aug. 6. Reports of an odor coming from the building led to a raid of the facility.

"Just give us our family back... Not just my mom, their son, her son, his son, their wife, their husband, their family member... a child... a brother, sister everyone here is loved," said Franquella Campbell.

Families rallied together, frustrated with the investigation, and demanded more transparency and the return of their relatives' remains. There was a prayer and an emotional balloon release.

"I'm just wondering what happened to my son. I don't know where he's at... I want his ashes," said Nora Nuckles.

SEE ALSO | Investigation continues after decomposing bodies found at Chicago funeral home | LIVE Updates

Families also claim they have seen the owners of the South Chicago Chapel return to the building despite it being shut down.

ABC7 reached out state investigators and the office of Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza but did not immediately hear back.

In the meantime, some of these families say they have what they were told were the ashes of their loved ones, but they are skeptical about them actually being their family members' remains.

"This is time for us to stand up and fight, because this is our loved ones. I have no idea if this is my son that's in these ashes," said Marketa Kristofek.

"It took a while to get the remains, and once we got them, it appeared to be a bag of dirt with rocks in it. It did not look like any cremated remains I've seen before," said Cecelia Palmer.

The investigation continues as the Cook County medical examiner has started releasing a list of names of the human remains that were improperly stored at the funeral home.