PITTSBURGH -- A former McKeesport funeral director is now charged with abuse of a corpse in connection with the remains of 19 fetuses found in the garage of his former home in August.

Jim Ecker, the attorney for 61-year-old Robert Winston, says his client is innocent of those charges and of an additional charge of theft by deception. Allegheny County police say Winston had a contract with Magee-Womens Hospital to arrange to have more than 300 fetuses found in his former garage cremated.

The fetuses ranged from 14 weeks to full-term, and resulted from abortions, miscarriages and stillbirths.

Instead, police say Winston told them he was having financial trouble. Police believe he took the hospital's money but kept the fetuses.

Winston's ex-wife called police in August to report the possibility that the fetuses were stored in the garage.

Winston is free on bond pending a preliminary hearing on Nov. 7.

Related Stories:
September 12, 2005: Memorial Service Held For Fetuses Found In Garage

Video:
August 31, 2005: Fetuses Found In Garage