There are certain expectations for what goes into a fridge. You may find petri dishes and the like in a lab fridge, but generally, fridges are associated with food.
A motel owner in Vietnam got a nasty shock when he discovered more than 1000 foetuses in a freezer. Understandably panicked, he called the police.
The motel owner suspected something when he saw a group of youths carrying black bags in and out of his motel, located in Hanoi City. He also saw them performing spiritual rituals which made him wary. When he checked their rooms, he discovered baby remains in the freezers. “I was really frightened at the time, so I immediately picked up the phone to call the police,” the owner said.
The Ha Dong district police quickly launched an investigation into the matter. They monitored the group and tracked them going to the apartment with the bags. When they raided the apartment, they confirmed that 2 refrigerators were being used to store the foetuses. On 25th May, four youths were promptly detained for questioning. The freezers and the remains were transferred to a funeral home for further investigation.
The youths claimed they did not collect the bodies illegally. According to the group, they were part of the Hanoi City Volunteer Corps which collects and buries babies corpses. “We did this not for profit, but to let the babies who died accidentally find their final destination,” a representative said. “At that time, the motel owner did not understand so it caused a big misunderstanding.” They explained that they often visit private clinics and hospitals to collect the bodies and bring them to be buried in fetal cemeteries. However, the cemeteries are far and they have recently had an influx of bodies. As such, they have been storing the bodies in the freezer before moving them.
The police have determined that the case is not criminal in nature. However, there are concerns as to how the foetuses were handled and stored. Currently, the police are still investigating the matter.
While admirable, most of us would share the motel owner’s sentiments. He hopes that the group will not stay at his motel in the future. The owner stated he is still shaken by the terrible imagery he saw at the time.
Sources: China Press, New Straits Times, Phunuphapluat, Kenhsao
