A mortuary employee in North Austin, Texas, is facing serious charges after allegedly conducting unauthorized experiments on corpses and fraudulently obtaining death certificates. Adeline Ngan-Binh Bui, 50, has been charged with felony abuse of a corpse and multiple counts of tampering with governmental records.
The troubling events reportedly began in August 2022, according to court documents. Bui is accused of using the identity of a former embalmer at Capital Mortuary Services to initiate and secure at least ten death certificates without permission. This former embalmer claimed he had never authorized Bui to use his name or license number.
Investigators allege that Bui went further than just paperwork. She is said to have conducted experiments on severed body parts, specifically injecting formaldehyde into detached arms to observe the effects over time. This shocking practice raises serious ethical questions about how the deceased are treated in funeral homes.
In April, a cease-and-desist order was issued to Capital Mortuary Services, citing failures to meet health and safety regulations. The order demanded that the mortuary halt all operations immediately. The Austin Police Department has received eight death certificates allegedly signed electronically by the former embalmer, who insists he never accessed the system to obtain those documents.
Bui was also reportedly in communication with a former employee about a fraudulent certificate, discussing the use of an update to monitor her experiments. This included sending photos of the severed arms at different stages of decomposition.
The Texas Funeral Service Commission is investigating the matter, and the allegations have raised alarm among local authorities. Bui’s legal team has stated that the case is complex and should not be sensationalized, emphasizing the importance of fairness and due process.
As of now, Capital Mortuary Services is closed, leaving many to wonder about the implications of these disturbing practices in the funeral industry.