Burial of a a Baby's Remains after Post-Mortem?

[Fr_Paul_Lloyd]

I live in England and I have been contacted by a parishioner in a former parish regarding this situation:

Her daughter’s baby son sadly died at home 7 days old when it seemed apparently healthy. There was a post mortem (autopsy) during which the child’s brain was removed. The parents now want to proceed with the baby’s funeral but the baby’s body will be returned to them without the brain. This will be returned later when the medical authorities have completed their tests. The parents were told by the coroner that when the brain is returned to them they will not be able to bury the brain with the baby’s other remains but will have to dispose of it separately (I presume burial or cremation). What does Canon Law say about the burial of a person’s remains. Shouldn’t they not be all be kept together in the same burial plot? …And not placed in more than one location?
God bless you,
Fr Paul

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

Ideally a complete body is buried in one spot, but that is not always possible. The situation you describe would appear to be the same as if an organ was donated to someone whose body then rejected the organ. There is no absolute requirement that the organ then be reunited with the buried body of the original person.
Since the brain is being returned to the family, if its reasonably possible to bury it in the same location as the body of the child then that would be the best situation. Otherwise, a respectful burial or disposition of the cremated remains would appear to be perfectly fine.