Nationwide — Stanley Henderson, a former funeral director from Atlanta, Georgia, is facing felony sex crime charges following a separate investigation that began after grieving parents accused him of giving them dirt instead of their baby’s ashes.
Henderson once operated Stan Henderson and Sons Mortuary. In May 2024, a couple from Valdosta, Georgia, accused him of handing them a box of dirt instead of the ashes of their baby, Josiah. They hired attorneys who soon discovered Henderson was running his business without a valid license.
The lawyers, Isaac Lezcano and Matt Wetherington, alerted police in Adel, Georgia, about 200 miles south of Atlanta, after confirming Henderson was still conducting funeral services. They said Henderson had been previously “run out of two different towns for running the same scam both times,” according to WSB-TV.
The tip led to a broader investigation. Investigators visited Henderson’s Stockbridge location, which appeared abandoned. He did not respond to repeated emails or calls. Eventually, the Georgia Secretary of State’s office and law enforcement launched a joint investigation.
Soon after, authorities uncovered evidence unrelated to the funeral services that led to new criminal charges, including child pornography and sex trafficking.
Henderson was arrested and is now being held without bond, according to a judge in Cook County. He has not confirmed legal representation.
The couple eventually received their baby’s ashes. They did not speak publicly but told their attorneys they are relieved Henderson is now in custody.