State licensing officials have fined a former funeral director $500 for allegedly sending unauthorized photos and videos of dead bodies to children and adults and for providing a fake fingerprint of a decedent to the individual’s family.
Earlier this year, the Iowa Board of Mortuary Science charged former funeral director Jennifer Spiekermeier of Iowa City with unethical conduct and with knowingly misrepresenting information to a prospective buyer of funeral merchandise or services.
According to the board, Spiekermeier distributed “unauthorized photos and videos” of deceased individuals “to both adults and minors,” and also had a minor accompany her and observe her while she embalmed a body.
The board also alleged Spiekermeier “substituted her own fingerprint when a family requested a necklace of a decedent” — an apparent reference to some funeral homes’ practice of providing families with a decedent’s fingerprint so it can be incorporated into memorial jewelry.
The board and Spiekermeier recently agreed to a settlement in the case. Under the terms of the settlement, Spiekermeier must surrender her funeral director’s license, which expired more than a year ago, and pay a $500 civil penalty.
The board has not disclosed where or when any of the alleged actions took place, or the context in which the alleged photos and videos were taken and distributed.
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However, the filing number of the board’s complaint against Spiekermeier suggests its investigation was launched in 2022, and state workforce records indicate Spiekermeier was employed by the Texas-based chain SCI Iowa Funeral Services in 2020. In a written statement that SCI attributed to one of its locations, Weerts Funeral Home of Davenport, the company said Spiekermeier is not currently working at any of the company’s funeral homes.
Spiekermeier declined to comment on the matter earlier this year, saying it was her understanding “from the board that none of this was going to be made public.”
This article first appeared in the Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Earlier this year, the Iowa Board of Mortuary Science charged former funeral director Jennifer Spiekermeier of Iowa City with unethical conduct and with knowingly misrepresenting information to a prospective buyer of funeral merchandise or services.
According to the board, Spiekermeier distributed “unauthorized photos and videos” of deceased individuals “to both adults and minors,” and also had a minor accompany her and observe her while she embalmed a body.
The board also alleged Spiekermeier “substituted her own fingerprint when a family requested a necklace of a decedent” — an apparent reference to some funeral homes’ practice of providing families with a decedent’s fingerprint so it can be incorporated into memorial jewelry.
The board and Spiekermeier recently agreed to a settlement in the case. Under the terms of the settlement, Spiekermeier must surrender her funeral director’s license, which expired more than a year ago, and pay a $500 civil penalty.
The board has not disclosed where or when any of the alleged actions took place, or the context in which the alleged photos and videos were taken and distributed.
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However, the filing number of the board’s complaint against Spiekermeier suggests its investigation was launched in 2022, and state workforce records indicate Spiekermeier was employed by the Texas-based chain SCI Iowa Funeral Services in 2020. In a written statement that SCI attributed to one of its locations, Weerts Funeral Home of Davenport, the company said Spiekermeier is not currently working at any of the company’s funeral homes.
Spiekermeier declined to comment on the matter earlier this year, saying it was her understanding “from the board that none of this was going to be made public.”
This article first appeared in the Iowa Capital Dispatch.
