A wooded island off the coast of the Bronx is home to one of the world’s largest burial grounds – yet few New Yorkers are aware of the fact. Since 1869, over 850,000 corpses have been buried on Hart Island, yet the site – which is run by the Department of Correction (DOC) – is shrouded in so much secrecy that even relatives of the dead are denied the right to visit the graves.
Many of the dead buried on the island were homeless, destitute or never claimed by friends or relatives. But an unknown number of corpses – including many stillborn babies – have been interred there against the wishes of family members.
