I can be

Hello, I'm Curious City reporter Adriana Cardona McGiga.

I went to the first United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple in downtown Chicago on a recent Wednesday.

There's a memorial service for nearly 300 indigent people who died alone in Cook County

and had no one to commemorate their passing.

It's a somber yet moving service.

During the memorial, the San Sabina Youth Choir fills every empty corner of the church with

songs.

We've gathered here today to honor indigent residents, the residents whose names will be read momentarily,

where once someone's neighbor, family, friend.

Cook County President Tony Prequinkle is there, along with faith leaders. She speaks to about

70 people who are listening quietly from the pews. There are plenty of open seats.

I went to this memorial service because we're answering several questions by a curious city

listener, Chris Ferreino. In Chicago, there must be hundreds of people who die every year and are, quote, unclaimed,

meaning that they have no known next of kin to organize and pay for their final disposition.

So Chris wants to know, what becomes of these unclaimed bodies?

Who makes funeral arrangements for them?

Or manages their disposition process,

meaning where are unclaimed bodies taken, and where do they end up after they go through the

medical examiner's office? Our question asked her, Chris, lives in Evanston, and he often

wonders about the most ethical way to give dignity to individuals

who died alone, or those beloved by family and friends who couldn't afford funeral or burial

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