FALLS CHURCH, Va. - A National Funeral Home employee who publicly accused the company of mishandling bodies at its Falls Church facility says he was fired for speaking to the media.

Robert Ranghelli of Manassas Park said Monday that he was told it was because he violated company policies by talking to the media and appearing with a company van in a photograph in The Washington Post.

He and another employee went to the media after observing what they called unsanitary treatment of bodies. "I noticed, you know, bodies being placed on racks in the garage, unsanitary conditions," Ranghelli explained.

"At the end of the day, I feel so much better, that I could earn the respect from the families that are going through this. And I send my condolences out to the families," Ranghelli said.

Some of those bodies were those of veterans bound for Arlington National Cemetary.

The home is a regional embalming and storage facility for Service Corporation International. SCI officials have denied that any laws or industry standards were violated there. When ABC 7 asked the funeral home about the allegations, they offered no comment.

Ranghelli, a 20-year-old new father, had worked at the funeral home for seven months before he was fired.

An SCI spokeswoman confirmed that Ranghelli was terminated but wouldn't comment on the reason.

Virginia's Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers is investigating the funeral home. Officials with the funeral parlor contend that they recently completed an internal investigation which found no wrongdoing on their part. Lisa Marshall of the National Funeral Home told ABC 7 on the phone, "From time to time, if the funeral home is really busy, embalmed remains can be moved to a separate area... moved to an area that is secure and out of the way."

Ranghelli's attorney says might file a whistleblower lawsuit.

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