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Chili's employee finds cremated human remains outside restaurant: 'I came to work today and found a box of ashes'

By Michael Bartiromo Fox News
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A Chili’s employee in upstate New York is spearheading the search for the family of a man whose cremated remains were found outside the restaurant last Sunday.

Elizabeth Confer, who works at the Chili’s location in Niagara Falls, was heading into work when she spotted a box containing human ashes, along with a label identifying the deceased as “Edwin Karkos.”

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"I happened to see it when I was walking in, you could not miss it or what was written on it," Confer tells Fox News.

Elizabeth Confer, who is employed at the Chili's in Niagara Falls, said she found the ashes just outside the restaurant after arriving at work.

Elizabeth Confer, who is employed at the Chili's in Niagara Falls, said she found the ashes just outside the restaurant after arriving at work. (Robert Alexander/Contributor/Getty Images)

The label was also printed a date — Feb. 25, 2012 — and the name of the funeral home that is no longer in operation, according to WIVB.

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Confer and her manager contacted the Niagara Falls Police Department, who are now asking anyone with information to come forward and help identify Karkos’ family. The director of a nearby funeral home also confirmed to Fox News that he had put the police in touch with the now-retired director of the funeral home listed on the label. Police were not immediately available to confirm if the family of the deceased had been identified.

Confer, too, put out a call on Facebook, asking for help reuniting Karkos with his loved ones.

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“Please get ahold of me and I can get them to the ashes!” she wrote, in part, in a post shared on Sunday.

“I know the day he passed away to confirm if need be. Please feel free to comment share and help me find them! This post is public so hopefully the family can see this,” she added.

Confer and the manager of her restaurant contacted police, who, like Confer, also asked for the public's help in identifying Mr. Karkos' family.

Confer and the manager of her restaurant contacted police, who, like Confer, also asked for the public's help in identifying Mr. Karkos' family. (Google Maps)

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Later that week, Confer claimed she had found the contact information from someone in Karkos’ family, but had not heard back at that time. On Monday morning, Confer told Fox News she had already put into contact with a "couple" of people, but has yet to confirm whether they are Mr. Karkos' relatives.

Chili’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Confer, however, told Fox News she’s still hoping to be contacted by the man's family.

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"I hope that the family will get the box back and find out who actually left it," she said.