They say grief comes in waves, but for one Maryland mother, it has become a tidal wave that hit twice. The first time was in late 2024, when Michelle Bivens held her eight-year-old son for the last time. She cremated him to keep him close, but that shred of comfort was shattered after an expert determined the remains she had been cradling weren’t human.
Suggested Reading
Bivens’ son, Jabril, was diagnosed with aggressive cancer in March 2024, 7 News reported. Eight months later, he passed away at eight years old. Wanting to keep her son— the youngest of six— close, Bivens said she chose to cremate him.
Jabril’s body was taken to Heaven Bound Crematorium in Charles County, which had been notoriously investigated by the state for a nonfunctioning cremation chamber and decomposing bodies stacked so high in cardboard boxes the cooler door couldn’t close, according to authorities.
The facility’s owners, Rosa Williams and Brandon Williams, were charged with eight counts of mishandling human remains after investigators found corpses stored in plastic bags in their home’s garage, police said, 7 News reported.
Once Bivens heard of the harrowing accusations, she feared the worst and contacted Cedric Lewis, an attorney who represents several families who are suing the crematorium. Lewis, per reports, arranged for the “ashes” Bivens eventually received to be analyzed by an independent expert.
A nearly 30-page report confirmed Bivens’ worst fear. “His remains were in fact not human remains,” Lewis said. “What she was provided— which at this point we don’t know what they are— but what we do know is they aren’t human remains.”
Grieving all over again, Bivens said she no longer knows what became of her son’s body. “To find this out, I mean, I don’t know where my son is. Watching your child die in front of you and then to get this type of news — it’s a lot,” she told 7 News.
Lewis told the outlet his focus now is getting answers for grieving families and “to uncover the truth and hold this company accountable.” He added that just when Heaven Bound’s alleged conduct “couldn’t get any lower, unfortunately, it did.”
Straight From 
Sign up for our free daily newsletter.