cop posing with body
Illustrating the sick nature of some police officers, a photo has surfaced of a cop posing with a woman's son who died in his home. The man's mother has since come forward to demand answers as to why this sicko felt it necessary to degrade her poor son in such a disgusting manner.

On August 8, Kim Staton's son, Omar Rahman, 28, was found dead in a home in Pine Lawn. The North County Police Cooperative responded to conduct an investigation, during which time the photo was taken. Since this photo, the county medical examiner ruled the Rahman's death an accidental overdose.

"I really don't know, actually, what happened to my son," she said, describing how police haven't said much to her since her son's death.

According to KTLA, now Staton says she's hurt even more. Weeks after Rahman's death, a photo, appearing to depict the scene of her son's death, was leaked. The date, Aug. 8, was the date of Rahman's death.

In the photo, the officer is wearing gloves, holding onto the arm of Rahman's body and giving a thumbs up.

"In your mind, is there any reasonable explanation for what that officer was doing?" asked Investigative Reporter Lauren Trager, the reporter who discovered the image.

"No," said Staton. "Because when they come to a call, they're supposed to be there to help and protect, not doing what he was doing with thumbs up and a smirk on his face."

"It's hideous. The implications of this photograph are just astronomical," Staton's attorney, Antonio Romanucci said in agreeance.

"I have seen thousands and thousands of forensic photographs, I have never seen a staged photograph of an officer next to a deceased body," Romanucci said, indicating that something is not right.

Romanucci is now demanding a full investigation of the North County Police Cooperative.

"Who was there that allowed this to go on? Was there any sergeant involved? Those are the questions that need to be asked and that's what needs to be found here," Romanucci said.

According to KMOV, questions are now swirling, too, about how this photo got out. Staton says police told her their official crime scene camera had been missing for a time and that pictures were also gone.

"Had you not received that photograph we wouldn't know this. We would never have known this," Romanucci told KMOV.

North County Cooperative Chief Tim Swope refused to go on camera, saying that they were conducting an internal and external investigation into "the totality" of the situation. The chief has declined repeated offers to show him the photo, according to KMOV.

"If the police department doesn't even know how it's been released, then certainly, that's a problem," said former St. Louis Police Department Chief Dan Isom.

"The fact that the photo is out is just problematic, so even if you can't determine the intentions of the officer, which by the photo, look questionable, you certainly are distressed and concerned that it's out in the public," Isom said.

According to KMOV, Isom also says he has no idea why Swope has declined to see it.

"See it, talk to the officer, get all the information relative to why they were there," Isom said.

"I think we should be investigating this together. I think the public needs to know about this," Romanucci said noting that he is considering a lawsuit against the department to obtain more answers.

"That's what I am looking for, I'm looking for some answers," Staton said.

Aside from an officer in their department taking depraved photos with the dead body of a grieving mother's son, a lawyer for the North County Police Cooperative threatened KMOV for reporting on the photograph, claiming it was "stolen property," according to KMOV. The attorney noted that "NCPC does not believe it is appropriate to comment on a matter related to 2 open criminal investigations."