Lost Rites

After devastated family members discovered that their loved ones had been buried in a Mississippi pauper’s field without their knowing, NBC News investigated America’s failed death notification system.

Part 1: Dexter Wade
A mother reported her son missing in March. Police kept the truth from her for months.
Part 2: Marrio Moore
Family of man beaten to death and buried without their knowledge say police never contacted them
Part 3: Jonathan David Hankins
A mother searched for her son for months — until NBC News discovered he'd been buried in a pauper's field
Part 4: The list
Hinds County, Mississippi, has buried hundreds of people in a pauper's field since 2016
Part 5: The National Problem
Families across the U.S. are going months or years without being told their loved ones are dead
Impact
Jackson, Mississippi, adopts next-of-kin notification policy after people were buried without families knowing
Impact
Mayor admits communication failure after police ran over a man and didn't notify his family
Update
Dexter Wade, buried alone in Mississippi, finally gets the funeral he was denied
Update
Dexter Wade, buried without his family’s knowledge, had ID on him with his home address, lawyer says
Update
Dexter Wade's family suffers a final indignity as he's exhumed without them
Update
Ben Crump calls for DOJ to investigate how police handled Dexter Wade's death
Nightly News
Mississippi family outraged after loved one's burial before they were notified of his killing
Impact (2024)
DOJ takes action after Mississippi coroner buried men without families’ knowledge
Update (2024)
More families are horrified to learn their loved ones were buried in a Mississippi pauper's field
Update (2024)
Mississippi coroner's office that buried men without telling families shares notification policy
Update (2024)
Mississippi coroner who buried men without telling their families: ‘I don’t know how to find people’
Update (2024)
A Mississippi man buried in a pauper's grave finally gets a proper funeral

Lost Rites

A mother reported her son missing in March. Police kept the truth from her for months.

Family of man beaten to death and buried without their knowledge say police never contacted them

A mother searched for her son for months — until NBC News discovered he'd been buried in a pauper's field

Hinds County, Mississippi, has buried hundreds of people in a pauper's field since 2016

Families across the U.S. are going months or years without being told their loved ones are dead

Jackson, Mississippi, adopts next-of-kin notification policy after people were buried without families knowing

Mayor admits communication failure after police ran over a man and didn't notify his family

Dexter Wade, buried alone in Mississippi, finally gets the funeral he was denied

Dexter Wade, buried without his family’s knowledge, had ID on him with his home address, lawyer says

Dexter Wade's family suffers a final indignity as he's exhumed without them

Ben Crump calls for DOJ to investigate how police handled Dexter Wade's death

Mississippi family outraged after loved one's burial before they were notified of his killing

DOJ takes action after Mississippi coroner buried men without families’ knowledge

More families are horrified to learn their loved ones were buried in a Mississippi pauper's field

Mississippi coroner's office that buried men without telling families shares notification policy

Mississippi coroner who buried men without telling their families: ‘I don’t know how to find people’

A Mississippi man buried in a pauper's grave finally gets a proper funeral