On a recent afternoon, about 70 people sat quietly in the pews of the Chicago Temple Building in the Loop. They were there to remember nearly 300 people who died alone, without next of kin, in Cook County. Religious leaders from different faiths read the names of each person aloud, and the St. Sabina Youth Choir filled every corner of the room with songs.

We visited the service because Curious City listener Chris Ferrigno wanted to know what happens to people who die without any known family members — something that particularly affects some of the city’s most vulnerable residents, including people who are unhoused or who struggle with addiction. What happens to their bodies after they die? Who makes funeral arrangements for them? And if family members come forward later, are they able to bury their loved one where they would like?

In most cases, the body of someone who dies in Cook County goes directly to a funeral home, if the individual or family has made arrangements with one. In cases such as homicides, suicides, accidents or unexpected deaths, police departments are usually responsible for identifying the body and notifying next of kin.

Generally, when police can’t identify a deceased body in about 10 days, it becomes a case for the Indigent Disposition Program at the Medical Examiner’s Office. The program is responsible for trying to identify unclaimed bodies, contacting family members and arranging cremation, burial or both depending on the case. The department also makes final arrangements for those who have died of a drug overdose and unhoused people when their bodies remain unclaimed.

This process has changed a lot in the last decade to address previous issues, including very long processing times and inhumane conditions.

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We spoke with officials at the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office to learn more about the steps they take when unclaimed and unidentified bodies arrive at the agency.

1. Identification: First responders might look for a wallet or ID, or contact a landlord or neighbor. If the person’s identity remains unknown, police then collaborate with the Indigent Disposition Program. They use techniques including fingerprinting, comparing dental records and in some cases taking DNA samples. The vast majority of bodies that come through the Indigent Disposition Program are eventually identified — about 99%, on average, over the last six years.
2. Notification: In some cases, family members come forward on their own. If they don’t, the Medical Examiner’s Office works with organizations like the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless or consulate offices to help locate potential next of kin.
3. Cremation: After 30 days, if no relatives come forward or can be found, the body of the identified deceased person is cremated. The cremated remains are stored and held by the Medical Examiner’s Office for up to a year.
4. Burial: After about a year, the cremated remains are buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery on the Far South Side. The Medical Examiner’s Office works with agencies including the Cook County Funeral Directors Association and Catholic Cemeteries to arrange two burials each year. The cremated remains of each unclaimed and identified body are placed in small, labeled boxes the size of urns. Each box goes in a large casket with dividers that holds the remains of 20 people.
5. Record-keeping: The cemetery keeps the GPS coordinates for the deceased in case relatives later come forward looking for them. If family members want to remove the remains of their relative, they can contact the cemetery and pay to have the casket unearthed to retrieve them.

While most cases that fall under the Indigent Disposition Program follow these steps, there are other cases to consider. For example, there are situations in which the family is notified, but they are unable to pay for cremation or burial. When that happens, the Medical Examiner’s Office will still cremate the body of the person. Family members have the option of picking up the cremated remains from the Medical Examiner’s Office. The fee for cremated remains is $250. Otherwise, the cremated remains will be buried following the process above.

In very few cases, when a deceased person can’t be identified, the body is not cremated. It is preserved and stored by the Medical Examiner’s Office for up to a year, and then buried intact. Photos and sketches of the deceased are sometimes added to a virtual cemetery to help relatives identify their loved ones. A DNA sample from the person is collected and shared with law enforcement databases.

While these steps can feel procedural, many volunteers and officials involved say they’re invested in making sure the bodies of unclaimed people are cared for and laid to rest with dignity and respect.

“Everyone deserves to have somebody there for them,” said Julian Gamboa, a senior at Brother Rice High School who has volunteered at burials organized by the Medical Examiner’s Office. “Even if it wasn’t there during their actual life, they deserve somebody there for their afterlife.”

Nisan Chavkin, who is part of the interfaith planning committee that helps organize these services, added, “It’s not an empty box you throw away. People are people, and they deserve respect and to be remembered. Taking care of someone when they die, after they are gone, and burying them properly is a great gift … .”

Adriana Cardona-Maguigad is Curious City’s reporter. Follow her @AdrianaCardMag