Katrina Maclean, 47, has been sentenced to 24 months in prison for her involvement in trafficking human remains stolen from the Harvard Medical School morgue. Maclean pleaded guilty in December to interstate transport of stolen goods.
Prosecutors stated that Maclean, who owned a shop called Kat's Creepy Creations that specialized in dolls, oddities, and bone art, stored and sold human remains. She obtained these parts from Cedric Lodge, a former morgue manager at Harvard Medical School, who from 2018 to 2022 allegedly stole organs and other body parts from cadavers donated for medical research before their scheduled cremation. Lodge and his wife, Denise Lodge, would then sell these remains to customers, including Maclean.
Maclean reportedly paid Lodge $600 in October 2020 for two dissected faces. Arrangements for sales were made via phone and social media, with transactions sometimes taking place within the Harvard Medical School morgue itself. In July 2021, Maclean shipped human skin from Massachusetts to an individual in Pennsylvania, intending for it to be tanned into leather. She paid for this service with more human skin, according to court documents.
Lodge was previously sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in stealing and selling body parts. His wife, Denise Lodge, received a 12-month sentence. In total, seven individuals, including the Lodges, have been imprisoned after pleading guilty in connection with the scheme.
Harvard Medical School recently agreed to pay $53 million to settle class-action lawsuits filed by relatives of body donors whose remains were trafficked. The lawsuits were brought by 47 relatives of individuals who had donated their bodies for research and education. The school stated it cannot determine precisely which donors' remains were stolen by Lodge but is working to identify potentially affected individuals.
The settlement covers relatives of those who donated their remains to Harvard Medical School between January 1, 2018, and March 31, 2023. In addition to financial compensation, Harvard Medical School has agreed to provide families with a statement condemning Lodge's actions and outlining improvements to its Anatomical Gift Program. The school also plans to establish an annual financial aid scholarship for medical students to honor anatomical donors, starting in the 2027-28 academic year. Harvard has implemented recommendations from outside experts to review and enhance the program following Lodge's arrest.
Maclean's attorney has described her sentence as "unreasonably excessive" and has filed an appeal.