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Inset: Coi’seir Parham (GoFundMe). Background: Lawuanda Brown and Chris Parham reflecting on the discovery of their son reportedly found inside the home of the crematory owners, intended to perform his cremation (WTTG/YouTube).
A couple in Maryland reports that their 2-month-old son’s body — misplaced following a failed cremation process — was located inside the residence of the cremation service providers, leading to a criminal investigation and bringing forth new “nightmare” questions for the already distraught parents.
“We’re like … why was he in their home? So many other thoughts, like, just rushing through our mind,” expressed Laquanda Brown during a conversation with local Fox affiliate WTTG.
“Like, what were they trying to do? Like, what were they doing?” she asked, tears streaming down her face.
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Brown and Chris Parham, the child’s father, are already suing Heaven Bound Crematory operators Rosa Turner and Brandon Williams, of Charles County, after they allegedly failed to cremate their son and stowed his body away inside of the now-closed facility, which was sanctioned last year for storing “human remains in cardboard boxes” and other disturbing ways, according to state officials.
In addition to not cremating the child, Turner and Williams gave the parents “the wrong ashes,” according to Brown and Parham, whose son, Coi’seir Parham, died in October.
The parents found out about the alleged failed cremation in February. They received Coi’seir’s ashes two weeks ago and were informed that his body was found inside Turner and Williams’ home, rather than the crematorium, WTTG reports.
The parents have been racked with questions ever since, telling the station the discovery has restarted the grieving process for them.
“Like a bandage, being pulled off a fresh wound again,” Parham said.
“They called and said his ashes were ready to be picked up,” Brown noted. “But it’s still like — how do we even know it’s still him?”
Brown and Parham’s lawyer, Sara Aguiniga, told Law&Crime last month that the pair is suing Heaven Bound and Stewart Funeral Services, along with Turner and Williams, for $10 million for the alleged mishandling of their son’s cremation.
“The defendants’ heinous disregard for human dignity shocks the conscience,” Aguiniga said. “Heaven Bound and Stewart Funeral Services took advantage of people during their most vulnerable time and have caused significant, irreparable harm. This lawsuit is a critical step to hold them accountable and protect those who cannot speak for themselves.”
Police officials tell WTTG that a criminal investigation has been launched in the case. The Maryland State Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors has been sanctioning and investigating Heaven Bound for almost a decade, with state records showing sanctions and failed inspections from 2017 to early 2024.
In March 2024, the board’s lead investigator conducted an inspection of the crematory that revealed “human bodies in cardboard boxes stacked on top of each other with no support between the boxes; human bodies in ripped body bags with arms and legs hanging out of the body bags; human remains that were not being stored at temperatures below 40F; and blood on the refrigeration unit and bodily fluids on the floor,” according to an order for summary suspension filed by state officials for Turner’s operator registration. Williams was also stripped of his credentials.
“Just the thought of somebody just having my son, just mistreating him like that — and he was just a baby — like, even though he did pass on, he was still an infant,” Brown said. “He was still a human being.”
Describing how they’re dealing with everything now, Parham told WTTG, “Nightmares … and being afraid to even go to sleep because you just don’t want to experience those same nightmares again. It’s a robbery of peace for us.”
Heaven Bound has not responded to Law&Crime’s request for comment.
