Many Die Without Any Family In Yakima County

Each year in Yakima county people die with no one to care for them and out of respect they still need a proper burial and that's where tax payers step in. Even if that means funeral homes lose money they say they don't mind. County officials tell our news partner KIMA Action news the dead tend to be homeless or have no other relatives. County officials call the dead indigents which mean they don’t have anyone to provide them a proper burial. Last year there were 17 and this year the number stands at 8. It can cost thousands to provide a normal burial while the county only pays about five-hundred dollars apiece. The bill last year was close to nine thousand dollars and the coroner expects it to be about the same this year.