Cornerstone Funeral Home in Lethbridge won’t face any consequences from the Alberta funeral regulation board.

           Until the matter has gone through court for Cornerstone owners Faith and Ralph Zenter, they will be allowed to operate the funeral home.

            The Zenters both face charges of fraud of over $5,000 and offering an indignity to a dead human body or human remains. Lethbridge police charged them on Jan. 25 following an investigation that spanned five years.  

            The indignity to a dead human body charges stem from the accusation that a finger was cut off a body to remove a ring that the family of the deceased apparently wanted to keep.

            The funeral home owners have been accused of using lower-priced funeral materials as substitution for caskets while charging the higher price.

            The funeral regulation board penalized Faith Zenter in 2006 for embalming without a licence. Complaints against Cornerstone date back to 2004.            

Only upon conviction will the Alberta funeral regulation board take any action against Cornerstone. The Zenters released a statement shortly after the charges were laid, denying the allegations.