A McKeesport man is facing charges after his mother accused him of flushing the ashes of his grandparents down the toilet following a dispute they had with each other.
In September 2018, 33-year-old Thomas Porter Wells was residing with his mother, Denise Porter, for a short period of time.
Before Wells had intended to move from his mom’s place, they had a falling-out due to Porter’s belief that her son was spending too much time partying with alcohol and marijuana. As a result of the disagreement, Porter asked Wells to leave her home since he would not abide by her rules.
Wells moved out, but he allegedly held a grudge against his mother for making him leave.
In early February, a family member called Porter and told her that they suspected Wells had taken the cremated remains of her parents and flushed them down the commode out of anger before he left her house.
When Porter checked the spot that she had set up as a memorial for her parents, she confirmed that their ashes were missing from the container that once held them.
In order to try to find out what happened, Porter called Wells and asked him if he really did flush his grandparents’ ashes. Wells told his mother that he did not do what his family member had accused him of.
Following their phone call, Porter alleged that Wells sent her a text message and told her that when she passes away he intends to flush her remains as well because he reportedly believes that she belongs in the sewer.
Porter went to the police department and issued a statement about what she believed had taken place with her parents’ ashes.
With the collected information, the police purported that Wells may have taken the ashes from the memorial and dumped them just before he moved out.
Wells was charged with two counts of abuse of a corpse, and one count of criminal mischief, for his alleged disrespectful disposal of his relatives. He was released on bond and is awaiting a mid-May preliminary hearing.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a crime, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.