Laurent Simon, a Saint-Maurice-Colombier resident near Montbéliard in eastern France, was initially notified of his son Ange’s tragic passing in September 2025. However, Ange, a 39-year-old homeless man, had actually died a few months earlier in April. His body was stored at Bordeaux University Hospital during that time, and the hospital is now requesting €3,800 (about £3,310) from his father, as reported by ICI Belfort Montbéliard.
Ange was discovered deceased in a vehicle in a Bouliac town car park near Bordeaux. He had a strained relationship with his family due to his struggles with addiction.
Laurent Simon came to know about his son’s death through hearsay from acquaintances, prompting him to seek a death certificate from Belfort Town Hall. He later learned that Ange’s body had been at Bordeaux University Hospital for months, close to being buried in the municipal cemetery’s “poor people’s plot.”
The hospital’s request for storage fees has added to Laurent Simon’s distress over the situation. He expressed that if informed earlier, he would have promptly dealt with the funeral arrangements.
In response, Bordeaux University Hospital stated that while understanding the distress caused, it is not responsible for tracing deceased individuals’ families, as this falls under other authorities’ purview. The hospital clarified that the storage costs are considered funeral expenses and are legally mandated to be paid according to the law.
French law stipulates that hospitals are not obligated to locate deceased individuals’ relatives, which is the responsibility of administrative bodies. Bodies are stored in the mortuary at no cost for a brief period, after which charges apply. These costs are classified as funeral expenses and are the heirs’ responsibility. If no family is identified, the local council may organize a funeral and later seek reimbursement from relatives if found.
The group Les Morts de la Rue highlighted that this distressing situation is not uncommon, especially for relatives of homeless individuals who may be unaware of their family members’ deaths due to lack of communication. In 2025, 956 homeless people died on the streets in France, underscoring the challenges faced by this vulnerable population.
