Waikumete Cemetery burial investigation

The story so far

A former employee of Tipene Funerals has pleaded guilty in the Auckland District Court to 14 charges, including two counts of interfering with human remains and 12 counts of obtaining by deception.^{21, 28 Feb 2025} She is accused of deceiving clients into buying vaccines for deceased relatives.^{28 Feb 2025} The charges arose from Operation Lola, a police investigation into complaints about the handling of burials at Waikumete Cemetery after bodies were disinterred during the 2023 flooding.^{14, 18 Mar 2025} Police arrested a second funeral director in March 2025, and the directors of Tipene Funerals said that arrest did not involve their firm.^{14, 15 Mar 2025} A 53-year-old former funeral director has since appeared in court facing charges of obtaining money by deception and inappropriate handling of human remains.^{18, 20 Mar 2025}

Latest

He has been granted interim name suppression.^{20 Mar 2025}

What's next

The former funeral director has elected a trial by jury.^{20 Mar 2025}

Key moments

1. 21 Feb 2025Tipene Funerals' managing director to address former employee's charges in media interview.
2. 28 Feb 2025Former employee pleads guilty to 14 charges in Auckland District Court.
3. 14 Mar 2025Second funeral director arrested as part of Operation Lola investigation.
4. 15 Mar 2025Tipene Funerals directors say latest arrest does not involve their firm.
5. 18 Mar 2025Auckland funeral director faces two new charges over Waikumete burials.
6. 20 Mar 2025Former funeral director denies charges and elects trial by jury.

Written from the stories below; each sentence links to its sources.