Families allegedly fleeced by former Tipene Funerals undertaker desperate for answers

Bodies were interred at the public mausoleum at Waikumete Cemetery in West Auckland. Photo / Michael Craig.

The Herald’s earlier coverage of Fiona Bakulich’s offending stated “several” bodies were placed in bags instead of the coffins that had been paid for. The coverage has been amended to clarify that the Herald spoke to two families who claimed Bakulich placed their loved ones in bags within unlined coffins.

The Herald acknowledges Bakulich was only sentenced in relation to one charge of interfering with human remains in relation to one body. Amendments have also been made to clarify that Bakulich’s other offending related to fraudulent behaviour in connection with burials.

Families claiming to have been fleeced by a Tipene Funerals undertaker say they’ve been left in the dark by the company.

While the affected families were pleased a woman had been arrested and charged by police after a Herald investigation, they were still demanding answers from the company, which is also behind television show The Casketeers.

Tipene Funerals director Francis Tipene told the Herald, “It would not be appropriate to say anything further at this time ... as this is now a matter for the New Zealand Police and the courts.

“We express our sympathy for the affected whānau.

“We urge anyone with further information to please contact police.”

One woman who claimed one of Tipene’s former employees swindled her and her grieving family out of money told the Herald, “I still honestly believe Tipene have some responsibility”.

She said: “They seem to be blaming it all on [the alleged offender].

Funeral director Francis Tipene of Tipene Funerals. Photo / Dean Purcell

Another man who claimed the former employee put his dead relative’s body into plastic bags and did not include the required zinc lining within the casket that the family had paid for welcomed the arrest and the charges.

“We’re happy because it [the court proceeding] is happening,” he told the Herald.

“A lot of families were in the background pushing for an arrest.

“It doesn’t matter how long it’s taken, it [the claims] just needed to come out, it needed to rear its ugly head. It needed to be dealt with no matter how long after the fact.”

He was also critical of the funeral company and believed they could have acted sooner.

He said he appreciated police could only work with what was available to them and that the Auckland City Criminal Investigation Branch making inquiries into the matter had a number of homicide investigations at the same time more complaints against the woman were laid.

Woman to face court following police investigation

Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said a 48-year-old woman had been arrested on Tuesday.

“The woman was arrested in Favona and has since been charged with misconduct in respect of human remains and nine counts of obtaining by deception,” Baldwin said.

She will appear in the Auckland District Court this Friday.

Baldwin said the arrest was a “significant development” in the investigation.

“[We] hope this arrest brings some reassurance to those affected by this woman’s offending.

Bodies were allegedly incorrectly interred at the public mausoleum at Waikumete Cemetery in West Auckland. Photo / Michael Craig

Affected families found out when Cyclone Gabrielle forced the bodies to be disinterred from the public mausoleum at Waikumete Cemetery in West Auckland.

Baldwin said the police investigation would continue and he could not rule out further charges.

Detective Inspector Baldwin has asked anyone with concerns about inappropriate or dishonest behaviour in relation to this case to call police on 105 and quote file number 240808/8008.

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.

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