Unclaimed person…according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs.gov), there are more than 14,172 in the United States.
At its core, the problem is that when someone dies without any known next of kin, at that point, they become what is known as an unclaimed person.
While this may seem like a small number, it is important to remember that each one of these people was somebody’s son or daughter, brother or sister, mother or father;
They were somebody’s friend or coworker, or neighbors. And now they are gone, without anybody to claim them.
It’s a very sad reality.
Many were impoverished or homeless, and their bodies were held in morgues or cremated without anyone ever knowing they were deceased.
Subsequently, this is a tragedy because the unclaimed individuals, their families, and friends will never know what happened to them.
These unclaimed persons often go unclaimed for years, and their bodies are usually cremated or buried in pauper’s graves.
It’s a sad reality, but it often happens in the United States. Each year, thousands of people die without any known next of kin, and their bodies go unclaimed.
Likewise, some of these people are never identified, and their deaths go unnoticed. (They are forgotten.)
Furthermore, if you have lost a loved one and don’t know what happened to them, there’s a good chance they may be one of the 40,000 unclaimed persons in the United States.
This is a subject close at heart because a brother of mine was found deceased behind a building in 2021.
Luckily, he was known and identified, and we claimed his body from the coroner’s office.
That said…these people were somebody…and should not be forgotten!
Unclaimed Person / NamUs #UCP93522
1. William R Ross, Male,
Black / African American
Date Body Found: June 28, 2022
Location Found: Washington, District of Columbia
Date Modified: July 21, 2022
Circumstances
Date Body Found: June 28, 2022
NamUs Case Created: July 21, 2022
Location Found Map
Found On Tribal Land: No
Circumstances of Recovery: The decedent passed away at the hospital, and no one claimed the remains. He was sent to OCME as a Storage Case and released as a Public Disposition Case.
Unclaimed Person / NamUs #UCP93348
2. Charolette Kaziah Vincent, Female,
Black / African American
Date Body Found: June 22, 2022
Location Found: Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20002
Date Modified: July 15, 2022
Circumstances
Date Body Found: June 22, 2022
NamUs Case Created: July 14, 2022
Location Found Map
Found On Tribal Land: No
Circumstances of Recovery: The landlord presented to the deceased residence on 06/22/22 to change the filter, noticed deceased mail piling up & neighbors had not seen her. He knocked on dec apt door several times w/o success, used a spare key to enter the locked apt & found dec on the living room floor.
Unclaimed Person / NamUs #UCP93346
3. David Williams, Male, Black / African American
Date Body FoundJune 24, 2022
Location Found: Washington D.C., District of Columbia
Date Modified: July 18, 2022
Circumstances
Date Body Found: June 24, 2022
NamUs Case Created: July 14, 2022
Location Found Map
Location: Washington D.C., District of Columbia 20019
Found On Tribal Land: No
Circumstances of Recovery: Deceased was found slumped over seated on a wall in an alley behind 3004 M Place, SE, by a resident in the neighborhood when she was taking out her trash on 06/24/22
Unclaimed Person / NamUs #UCP93345
4. Harry Oppenheim, Male, White / Caucasian
Date Body Found: June 16, 2022
Location Found: Washington D.C., District of Columbia
Date Modified: July 15, 2022
Circumstances
Date Body Found: June 16, 2022
NamUs Case Created: July 14, 2022
Location Found Map
Location: Washington D.C., District of Columbia
County: District of Columbia
Found On Tribal Land: No
Circumstances of Recovery: Decedent was brought to OCME as a Storage Case.
Unclaimed Person / NamUs #UCP93341
5. William Delando Wimbush,
Male, Black / African American
Date Body Found: May 23, 2022
Location Found: Washington, District of Columbia, 20010
Date Modified: July 15, 2022
Circumstances
NamUs Case Created: July 14, 2022
Location Found Map
Found On Tribal Land: No
Circumstances of Recovery: Decedent was brought to OCME as a Storage Case from WHC.
Conclusion
The heart-wrenching story of the unclaimed person in the United States is a story that needs to be told. Every year, thousands of people die in the United States without ever being claimed by a family member or friend.
These unclaimed bodies often end up in pauper’s graves, with no one to remember them or mourn their loss.
This story is a reminder of the importance of human connection and the value of every life.
This story is a reminder that we all need to take the time to connect with our loved ones and let them know how much they mean to us.
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Thanks for reading!!!