A CRIMINAL investigation into a mortuary mix-up in Hull cost more than half a million pounds, the Mail can reveal.
South Yorkshire Police spent a year and a half on the investigation to determine whether there was any misconduct in public office.
In November 2011, it was discovered that Christopher's body was still in the mortuary at Hull Royal Infirmary, 11 years after his family believed they had laid him to rest following his death in police custody in 1998.
An exhumation of his grave in Hull's Northern Cemetery last year confirmed Grace Kamara, 77, had been buried in his place.
The total cost of the investigation was £636,998.81.
In all, 31 police officers and 21 support staff were involved, although there was a core team of nine officers.
A total of 179 witnesses were spoken to, which involved officers travelling to Australia at one point.
Janet Alder, has criticised the cost to the taxpayer.
She said: "This is absolutely scandalous as we have learnt nothing more about what happened.
"I would be able to accept the cost and even the decision not to prosecute if the police had come back with something more solid about what happened.
"This investigation is something we never asked for and this waste of public money is not the families' fault.
"We just want the truth but we are still in the same position as we were on day one."
Humberside Police, who requested South Yorkshire Police to carry out the investigation, insists it was worthwhile.
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Donald said: "This was a significant investigation, which involved a large number of resources."
Following a meeting with the investigating officers last month, Miss Alder was told there was next to no documentation about her brother's body in the Hull mortuary.
She claims the investigation has been a "total whitewash".
A 160-page report about the mix-up was handed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) by South Yorkshire Police at the beginning of May.
The CPS concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge any individual or organisation.
Miss Alder said: "They can't tell me if it was intentional or an accident.
"They have told me they cannot find any documents relating to Christopher's time in the mortuary.
"They have no records of who was working at the time, or payroll details, and nothing relating to the times his body was moved.
"Every other body during that time seems to be well documented, but not Christopher's.
"I don't think this is good enough. It is a total whitewash."
Miss Alder is now looking at the possibility of challenging the decision by the CPS and whether to launch civil proceedings against Hull City Council, Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and funeral directors EW Brown.
In November last year, a protective claim with Central London County Court was lodged by Liberty, the human rights campaign group, on Ms Alder's behalf.
The claim allows Ms Alder to pursue possible civil proceedings against the council and the hospitals trust.
