Medical examiner's office sells 'crime scene' beach towels with dead body outline on them

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Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Medical Examiner's Office selling crime scene beach towels
The towels have an outline of a body. They were given away at a conference and the office had several leftover.

MILWAUKEE, WI -- The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office in Wisconsin is a source of controversy for selling "crime scene" beach towels.

The towels show crime scene tape and an outline of what's supposed to portray a dead body. They're selling for $20 each.

The office says the towels were giveaways at a conference. When not all of the towels were given away, the office decided to offer them to the public--a decision not everyone is thrilled about.

"I think it's a little insensitive," a woman told WISN.

"I think it's a little disturbing, to be honest," said another woman.

The office says it only makes $2 off each towel sold. Officials are not sure what they're going to do with the profits.