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Owner Of North Philly Property Where Human Remains Were Found Says Medical Examiner Removed 44 Remains In 2017

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Neighbors were stunned to hear 48 sets of human remains were found at the former Bakers Funeral Home in North Philadelphia.  Now we are learning more about an additional search on the abandoned property.

"I'm just so surprised. I didn't think there was anything there, I thought it was an empty building and then yesterday I saw police cars with caution tape and undercover cops,"one neighbor who said.

The property is on the 2000 block of Carlisle Street, just west of Broad Street on Temple's campus.

"It's eerie that all of these dead bodies were just here," the neighbor added.

L&I spent Saturday afternoon boarding up the doors after multiple neighbors tell CBS3, they had been open most of the summer. Potentially leading to the discovery of the remains Friday by urban explorers.

BAKER CREMATED REMAINS
credit: CBS3

The property was purchased in 2017 by Temple Villa after the owner of the funeral home was reportedly forced to shut down due to tax issues.

The property's new owner says the land has been rezoned to build a 40-unit building to be leased to Temple students. He provided CBS3 a receipt from the medical examiner's office, showing the property was searched in December of 2017—it says that 44 sets of human remains were found and removed at the time.

BAKER CREMATED REMAINS
credit: CBS3

Which means it is possible that the 48 different remains discovered Friday are new—or were never removed by the medical examiner's office after its search two years ago.

CBS3 reached out to the medical examiner's office for an explanation and have yet to hear back.

The owner of Temple Villa says he was shocked when he heard the remains were found in his building on Friday.

They will not touch the property until a third search is conducted to ensure all of the remains are removed.

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