My baby was carried out of funeral parlour in bag 2 YEARS after his cremation, I’m outraged by director’s pitiful charge

AS Jasmine Beverley followed a TV news report, her blood ran cold. For as she watched a police officer carefully carrying a brown bag in his arms, she knew, instinctively, that her baby son was inside it. Jasmine Beverley was told her son Sunny was cremated – but for two years his body lay in a bag on the funeral director’s floor Credit: Supplied The family arranged a second funeral, and this time Sunny was buried with Jasmine’s grandmother in Hull near the family home Credit: Supplied Jasmine had believed her son, Sunny, was cremated two years earlier by funeral director Robert Bush. Instead, when police raided his premises, they found Sunny’s tiny body in a bag on the floor. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! It was as she watched the atrocity unfolding on the TV news that Jasmine realised the horrific truth. And she and her husband, Ben, faced further heartache when they learned Bush could not be charged with preventing Sunny’s burial, because he was stillborn before 24 weeks. Jasmine, a mum of five, is now campaigning for Sunny’s Law, where stillbirths are given the same dignity and respect as others. Jasmine, 40, says: “For two years, I had believed that I had Sunny’s ashes in my home. Legacy funerals had been raided by police because Bush had failed to carry out cremations Credit: PA Officers uncovered more than 30 decomposing bodies that funeral director Robert Bush falsely claimed had been cremated Credit: PA “But when the scandal broke about Robert Bush, I was watching TV and saw a bag carried outside and I just knew it was him. “That maternal connection was there.” Most read in The Sun Jasmine was at Hull Crown Court in July to see Robert Bush jailed for 20 years. Bush admitted 67 offences, including denying 30 people a decent and proper burial, theft from 12 charities, and fraudulent trading over a period of almost 12 years, including a count of fraud relating to Sunny. Jasmine says: “In so many ways, I feel lucky that I was reunited with Sunny at last, we had a second funeral for him when I was heavily pregnant with my next child, and he is buried in a family grave. “So many families will never find out what happened to their loved ones so I take strength and comfort where I can.” Jasmine and Ben, who works in the council, had been thrilled to discover she was expecting their fourth child early in 2022. Aside from severe morning sickness, the pregnancy seemed to go well. Jasmine is campaigning, alongside her MP, for changes to the law so that babies born before 24 weeks can be recognised as human beings Credit: Supplied Jasmine, alongside fellow campaigner Karen Dry Credit: Supplied In May, the sickness abruptly stopped and Jasmine hoped the worst days were over. But six days later, she went into labour at 20 weeks and four days. She says: “I was in terrible pain and I was rushed into hospital, but I knew it was too early for him to make it. “Going through the labour, knowing I had no baby to hold at the end of it, was the hardest and most painful thing I had ever done. “My heart broke when Sunny was laid in my arms, absolutely perfect but sleeping. “The staff were like angels around me and I will never be able to thank them enough.” The family spent three days with Sunny before contacting Robert Bush of Legacy Independent funerals, to arrange a cremation. Jasmine says: “We spent time cuddling Sunny and he looked just like my husband, which was a great comfort. The police view as they entered a chapel in the funeral directors Ashes, bagged up by police, were found at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull Credit: Humberside Police “Robert Bush did my dad’s funeral for us years earlier and he was very respectful, sensitive and kind. “He was well-liked locally and seemed like the obvious choice.” Bush organised a family service at the crematorium before taking Sunny for cremation. Nine months on, Jasmine received his ashes and built a shrine at home for her lost son. She says: “The service was beautiful and we played the song: ‘Sunny’ by Bobby Hebb. “When we got his ashes back, I fussed over him every day. “Grieving was very tough, but I had my family around me.” Determined to stay strong for their older children, now aged 12, nine, and six, Jasmine and Ben tried for another baby. In the autumn of 2023, she was overjoyed to fall pregnant again. Nine months on, Jasmine received his ashes and built a shrine at home for her lost son Credit: Supplied Jasmine, during a previous pregnancy Credit: Supplied But in March 2024, by now heavily pregnant, she saw reports that Legacy funerals had been raided by police because Bush had failed to carry out cremations. Jasmine says: “I called the police asking them if my dad could be affected – I didn’t for a minute think Sunny was involved because I had his ashes right next to me at home. “They took my details and promised to get back to me.” But that same night, watching a news report of the raid, she saw a police officer carrying a bag from the premises into a police van. She says: “In my heart, I knew it was Sunny. I could feel it was him. I was appalled.” Police later called and confirmed the baby inside the bag was still wearing his hospital name tag. For two years, Sunny had lain on the floor inside the premises. Jasmine says: “I couldn’t take it in. I was devastated. Police outside Legacy Independent Funeral Directors Credit: Getty “I was trying to stay calm for my unborn baby yet I was plunged right back into my grief for Sunny.” The family arranged a second funeral, and this time Sunny was buried with Jasmine’s grandmother in Hull near the family home. She says: “At least I got my son back – there were many people who never knew what happened to their loved ones. “I also took comfort from the fact that Sunny was in the same building when we held the memorial service for him, though he was not in the coffin, as Bush had led us to believe.” Police collected the original ashes from Jasmine in May 2024, and one hour later, her waters broke. She says: “The officer opened the box and there were far too many ashes for a baby. “It was estimated the ashes belonged to a young adult, or adults. “We will never know, which is another tragedy for another family. Bush was the monster behind the crimes – and has been jailed for 20 years Credit: Unknown The view from Bush’s side of his desk Credit: Humberside Police “I firmly believe the shock triggered my labour; the last two months of my pregnancy were very difficult.” Jasmine’s son, now aged two, was born healthy and well. But she was outraged to learn that, because Sunny was born before 24 weeks, he was not recognised as a person and therefore Bush could not be charged with preventing his burial. Instead, he faced a fraud charge. Last month, Bush, 48, was jailed for 20 years in a case involving 35 bodies and more than 100 sets of ashes. The court heard he had acted out of greed and that between March 2017 and April 2024, more than £3million had entered his bank accounts. Jasmine says: “I went to court and I was proud to read my statement on behalf of my son. “I trusted Bush with the most precious person in my life, and I cannot put into words how he has failed me and my family. “No sentence would ever be enough, but I am glad that he is in prison where he belongs. “The funeral industry needs a complete overhaul; we need proper regulation and checks. “There are more checks for people opening takeaways and hair salons than for funeral directors and this cannot be right. “This must never happen again. “I am campaigning, alongside my MP, for changes to the law so that babies born before 24 weeks can be recognised as human beings. “Our proposals will be discussed in parliament this September. “I understand this is a sensitive area for all women and I support freedom of choice. “But Sunny was failed by the justice system. “He ought to be recognised for who he was; a beautiful life lost and forever loved. “Every child matters and in his name, we need change.” Click to see the parliamentary petition. 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