Pennsylvania State Funeral Board orders probation and tough penalties against funeral director

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 5, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania State Board of Funeral Directors ordered a probation period for no less than five years and a total $50,000 penalty against funeral director and funeral supervisor John M. Price Jr and his establishment Price Funeral Home located in the city of Philadelphia.

At its March 30 meeting, the Board imposed a penalty of $25,000 against Price for aiding and abetting another funeral director in violating the Funeral Director Law. The Board also imposed a $25,000 penalty against Price Funeral Home for its role in aiding and abetting, as well as for operating on a lapsed license, and for conditions at the funeral establishment that violated the Board's regulations.

"The Department of State, through the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, is committed to protecting the public from unethical practitioners," said Pennsylvania Secretary of State Pedro A. Cortés. "We will not tolerate behavior that preys on people in need of immediate and trustworthy professional services."

The funeral director whom Price and Price Funeral Home assisted in violating the Funeral Director Law was Janet M. Dailey.  In January, the Board revoked Dailey's licenses, as well as the license of the funeral establishment she owned and operated. The penalties were imposed due to Dailey's violation of regulations in providing services to three deceased individuals, whose remains were discovered in a garage at 2626 E. Hagert St., Philadelphia, on August 25, 2015. 

In its recent order, the Board found that Price and Price Funeral Home aided and abetted Dailey in engaging in gross incompetency, negligence, or misconduct in carrying on the funeral-directing profession and in engaging in gross immorality.  Price and Price Funeral Home also aided Dailey in breaching her professional responsibilities to promptly dispose of deceased individuals entrusted to her care, to properly store remains of deceased, and to treat the deceased with respect. 

In its final adjudication and order to Price, the State Board of Funeral Directors noted that "a funeral director who opens his or her funeral establishment for use by another licensed funeral director cannot turn a blind eye to violations of the Law or regulations" that may occur.

The Bureau's 29 boards and commissions license and oversee nearly 1 million active professionals and businesses, including a range of occupations in health and business fields.

A comprehensive list of sanctions imposed by the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs is available online.

The Bureau also maintains a searchable database which allows the public to check the license status of all the professionals and establishments it licenses.

Anyone who suspects unlicensed activity by an individual or facility, or who has been a victim of unethical treatment, can file a complaint either online or through the Bureau's hotline at
1-800-822-2113.

MEDIA CONTACT: Wanda Murren, (717) 783-1621

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of State

Related Links

http://www.state.pa.us