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Cook County Morgue Gets New Cooler, More Workers

CHICAGO (AP) -- The Cook County Medical Examiner's office says conditions are improving at the morgue thanks to more employees and a new $1.4 million cooler.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Medical Examiner Dr. Stephen Cina offered media a look at the cooler on Thursday.

The event was meant to show how much the office has improved 18 months after a string of embarrassing news stories about bodies being stacked haphazardly, and the remains of stillborn babies tossed into boxes.

Officials noted that improvements included the hiring of nearly two dozen employees in addition to the cooler.

Cina was hired in 2012 to replace the former medical examiner, who retired when Preckwinkle announced that she would overhaul the office.

Cina was chief administrator at the University of Miami's Tissue Bank.

(TM and © Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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