Bodies of 11 infants found in ceiling of funeral home, police say

DETROIT — Construction workers found 11 infants hidden in the ceiling of a closed funeral home in Detroit Friday night, according to police.

Authorities said the workers found the bodies Friday at the Cantrell Funeral Home on the city’s east side. Police said nine of the bodies were found in a cardboard box and two were found in caskets.

"They were actually in a cardboard box, nine of the 11 -- they're very small remains," Detroit Police Department Lt. Brian Bowser said at a press conference Friday night. "They were in a cardboard box stuffed away from a stairwell."

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Bowser said they know some of the infants names and the medical examiner will conduct an investigation.

Detroit police have ordered a search of the building to ensure there are no additional bodies inside.

"Obviously we have to find out what happened, and why it happened," Bowser said.

According to WDIV-TV, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) had suspended the mortuary in April after discovering several violations to include decomposing remains.

Violations also included two improperly stored bodies covered in what appeared to be mold and a third body with unknown fluids covering the facial area.

ABC News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Cox Media Group