The body of a worker killed in last year's collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans has been exposed when a tarp covering the area was blown free by wind.
Photos that show what appear to be someone's leg protruding from the rubble appeared all over the Internet on Tuesday, prompting Mayor Latoya Cantrell to issue a plea in which she asks the activity to stop. "A tarp put in place to conceal the remains of one of the victims of the Hard Rock collapse has been shifted by the wind," Cantrell says. "To be clear: capturing or sharing images of the victims in such a condition is irresponsible, it is indefensible, and it is not who we are as New Orleanians."
Last week, the city announced plans to demolish the remains of the building, which partially collapsed during construction last October. A number of workers were killed in the incident. "Out of respect to the victims and their families, and in the name of basic common decency, we urge news outlets, residents, and social media users to have nothing to do with making a tragic situation needlessly worse," Cantrell says.