Families of victims of funeral home scandals are celebrating the passage of new laws introducing more regulations

DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) — Friday was a monumental day for the families affected by the tragedy at a Colorado funeral home.

On Friday, families stood shoulder-to-shoulder alongside lawmakers as Gov. Jared Polis signed three different bills at the Governor’s Mansion in Denver, giving them legal effect.

The new regulations introduce more regulations, supervision and requirements for funeral home industry professionals.

“Our nightmares will never go away. You know how we feel. You know, there are people and families who will never trust the funeral industry. You can’t erase these things, but you can make it better for everyone else, and I think that was our whole goal.” explained Sheila Canfield-Jones, who has been at the forefront of working with sponsors of these bills since her daughter’s body was left to decompose at Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, Colorado.

Joining Canfield-Jones on stage were fellow funeral home crime victims Abby Swoveland and Danielle McCarthy. Other families whose loved ones were embroiled in scandals sat in the garden where the governor signed the contract.

Swoveland joins Canfield-Jones was a victim of “Back to Nature.” Her mother was among those found at the scene in Penrose.

“Now no other families have to worry about what we went through and what we are going through. And that’s the best that can be. This is the only positive that could come from these tragedies.” she said.

Danielle McCarthy has long been pushing for more regulation of the death industry in Colorado. Her husband was identified by the FBI as a victim in the Montrose, Colorado, body parts sales scandal in 2018. She did not receive what was left of her husband’s estate until the spring of 2024, almost six years later.

“We have been waiting for this news for a long time,” McCarthy said. “And grateful, grateful that we were able to do something this year,” she added, saying she was glad the Back to Nature victims had reached an agreement just months after the Penrose investigation was launched .

The pain and patience of these families were rewarded by legislators after the governor placed his ceremonial signatures. Lawmakers donated pens that Governor Polis used to sign each of the bills that McCarthy, Canfield-Jones and Swoveland received.

“It’s very touching and means a lot to me. It is a symbol of everything that has happened and the good that has come from these tragedies,” Swoveland said of the gesture.

“(It’s) seemingly harmless, seemingly simple, but it’s usually the simple things in life that matter the most,” McCarthy added.

Each of these families said they plan to work with state leaders on more legislation in the coming years to better regulate Colorado’s death industry.