Goodwill employee finds urn with remains inside among donations

VANCOUVER, Wash. (KATU) — When the doors open, workers inside Goodwill's processing center never know what's coming in.

On Sunday, a box came into the Goodwill location on NE Fourth Plain Boulevard in Vancouver.

" Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Willamette has more donors and receives more donations than any Goodwill in the world. So we get a mountain of all things," says spokesperson, Dale Emanuel. "We open up everything and we check all pockets, we do not want to put anything on the floor that is unsafe."

Inside that particular box was cremated remains.

"It is personal and it matters," Emanuel said, adding it came in with household items like clothing and pots and pans.

Urn donations happen from time to time at Goodwill, and the assumption is this was an accident.

The name on the two letter "M's" on the box is Michelle Miller. There are a lot of people that have been named Michelle Miller in the Vancouver area. So the hope is someone recognizes the unique briefcase looking urn.

"My Mom was cremated. You know, this is personal to a lot of people here and it's upsetting to a lot of people here. We certainly hope if the owner indeed wants to come forward...do (so)," Emanuel said.

For now, Vancouver Police have the urn stored in evidence, and they'd like to see it end up where it belongs.

If you have any information, call the Vancouver Police Department Evidence Unit at (360) 487-7404.