ANDOVER, N.J. — New Jersey police made a grisly discovery in one of the state's largest nursing homes Monday after receiving a tip about a body in a shed.
According to CNN, the tip led police to the Andover Subacute and Rehab Center II, one of the state's largest nursing homes.
While the original tip was unfounded, officers were met by overwhelmed staff at the facility, asking for help with bodies in their small morgue.
Officers responding Monday night discovered 17 bodies of deceased residents, each in a body bag, crammed into the morgue only meant to hold up to four bodies, the New York Times reported.
Thirteen of the discovered bodies were taken and brought to a refrigerated trailer at the nearby Newton Medical Center, and four remained at the nursing home.
While Andover Police Chief Eric Danielson told CNN it's not clear if all the residents died from COVID-19 complications, nursing homes in New Jersey and nationally have been hit hard by the novel coronavirus outbreak.
More than 3,300 deaths nationwide have been linked to coronavirus outbreaks in nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
This story was originally published by Mark Sundstrom on WPIX in New York.
