Washington Teen Gets Body Composted After Sudden Death

The family of a 17-year-old Washington teenager who died suddenly last month has chosen human composting, or natural organic reduction, as his final disposition—a decision they say reflects his deep concern for the environment.

The teen, identified as Liam Parker of Olympia, passed away unexpectedly on May 24 after suffering a cardiac event. In accordance with his previously expressed wishes, his parents arranged for his body to undergo human composting at a licensed facility in Kent, Washington.

“He always talked about living in harmony with the planet,” said his mother, Claire Parker. “When we found out that human composting was an option in Washington, it felt like the most natural and respectful way to honor his memory.”

Washington became the first U.S. state to legalize human composting in 2019. The law, which took effect in May 2020, allows licensed facilities to transform human remains into soil over the course of 30 to 60 days using organic materials like wood chips, alfalfa, and straw.

The process, formally called natural organic reduction, uses controlled aerobic decomposition to return the body to the earth without the carbon emissions of cremation or the land usage of traditional burial.

Liam’s remains were processed at Return Home, one of the state’s leading human composting providers. According to a spokesperson from the company, the teen’s body was placed in a sealed vessel, surrounded by biodegradable material, and allowed to decompose naturally with the help of microbes and oxygen.

At the end of the process, the Parker family received several bags of nutrient-rich soil derived from Liam’s remains. They plan to use it to plant a memorial tree on their family’s property in Thurston County.

Though still a relatively new option, human composting has gained momentum in recent years as more Americans seek environmentally friendly alternatives to burial and cremation.

“More young people are talking about sustainability—even in death,” said Katrina Spade, founder of Recompose, another Washington-based human composting provider. “This generation is much more open to the idea that we are part of a life cycle, and they’re choosing methods that reflect that belief.”

Currently, human composting is legal in several states including Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Vermont, California, and New York. Legislation is pending in others.

Liam, a senior at Capital High School, was described by friends and teachers as a passionate environmentalist and budding conservationist. He had recently been accepted into the University of Washington’s Environmental Science program.

“He was the kind of kid who’d bike to school in the rain to reduce his carbon footprint,” said his science teacher, Andrew Kim. “He cared deeply about the planet and lived his values every day.”

The Parker family held a private ceremony with friends and relatives, where they scattered part of the soil in the backyard garden Liam had helped plant as a child.

“This was hard—losing our son is the worst pain we’ve ever felt,” Claire Parker said. “But knowing he’s nourishing the earth the way he wanted to—it brings us some peace.”