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A former Auckland funeral director accused of improperly handling human remains and deceiving people to buy vaccines for their dead loved ones has pleaded guilty to 14 charges.
Fiona Bakulich, a former employee of Tipene Funerals, admitted to two charges of interfering with human remains and 12 charges of obtaining by deception.
Bakulich was required to correctly line and seal coffins with zinc prior to interment as part of her job.
Today, the court heard how the offending came to light when Cyclone Gabrielle damaged the mausoleum where bodies were interred at Waikumete Cemetery.
In one case, a casket was disinterred to check for damage, which revealed the casket hadn't been lined with zinc – instead the deceased had been wrapped in plastic.
In the other, a casket which had been damaged was disinterred, revealing it had not been lined with zinc and the deceased had been placed without any protective covering except for clothing.
Former employee of Tipene Funerals, Fiona Bakulich. (Source: 1News)
The court heard how, between 2021 and 2024, Bakulich deceived seven families to pay her for Covid-19 immunisations and treatments for their deceased loved ones, which were not administered or required.
She also deceived one victim to pay her for an injection on the genitalia of their deceased loved one, because of an infection.
No injections were administered or required.
In another instance, Bakulich deceived a victim to believe the Ministry of Health required $7000 to be paid for breaching Covid requirements during a funeral.
Her offending related to 11 victims in total.
She was remanded on bail and would reappear in court for sentencing on April 11.
