Fiona Bakulich has been named as the former undertaker accused of putting dead bodies in rubbish bags instead of the caskets their families purchased. Video / Michael Craig
Bakulich, who also featured in Tipene Funerals’ reality television show The Casketeers, is also accused of taking $15,002 by deception.
Bakulich appeared in the Auckland District Court for the first time last Friday. Her lawyer Panama Le’au’anae applied for name suppression, but after opposition from the Herald and Stuff, Judge Stephen Bonnar declined the application.
Judge Bonnar allowed Bakulich and her lawyer until 5pm today to file an appeal against his decision to decline name suppression. The High Court confirmed to the Herald it had not received any notice of appeal.
Le’au’anae also confirmed to the Herald his client had decided against filing an appeal.
Bakulich will appear in court again, on nine charges of obtaining by deception and another charge of misconduct with human remains, on November 15.
Fiona Bakulich in the Auckland District Court last Friday for her first appearance on charges of misconduct with human remains and nine counts of obtaining by deception. Photo / Michael Craig
Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin, of police’s Auckland City Criminal Investigation Branch, called her arrest “a significant development” in the investigation into her alleged offending.
It follows an exclusive Herald investigation into claims that as a Tipene Funerals employee, Bakulich fleeced her grieving clients by putting their dead relatives in black plastic rubbish bags instead of the coffins they had paid for.
Affected families found out when Cyclone Gabrielle forced the disinterment of the bodies from the public mausoleum at Waikumete Cemetery in West Auckland.
Fiona Bakulich (left) with Francis and Kaiora Tipene in a promotional image for TV show The Casketeers.
Baldwin said the police investigation would continue, and he could not rule out further charges.
After Bakulich’s first appearance, families affected by her alleged misconduct told the Herald they were pleased she had been arrested and put before the court, but felt they had been left in the dark by Tipene Funerals.
One woman claiming to have been impacted by Bakulich’s alleged offending told the Herald, “I still honestly believe Tipene have some responsibility.”
She said: “They seem to be blaming it all on Fiona.”
Bodies interred at the public mausoleum at Waikumete Cemetery were discovered to have been bagged and bound with tape instead of the coffins families paid for. Photos / Michael Craig / Facebook
Tipene Funerals director Francis Tipene has encouraged anyone with concerns about their former employee to report it to police.
He said his former employee worked for Tipene Funerals as a funeral director for seven years.
“And in doing so, a huge amount of trust was placed in her, both by Tipene Funerals, myself as director and the families she was taking care of,” Tipene said.
Baldwin has asked anyone with concerns about inappropriate or dishonest behaviour in relation to this case to call police on 105 and quote file number 240808/8008.
