Funeral home placed wrong body in casket at viewing: Lawsuit
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Inset: Otis Adkinson (Harrison-Ross Mortuary). Background: Harrison-Ross Mortuary in Compton, California. (Google Maps).

Arriving early at the California funeral home for her uncle’s viewing, Amentha Hunt looked at the casket and instantly recognized that the man inside was not her loved one.

She approached a staff member who allegedly insisted that the correct corpse was in the coffin. It was only after she presented a picture of her uncle that the staff reportedly acknowledged their error. Now, the family is suing the funeral home, Harrison-Ross Mortuary in Compton.

More from Law&Crime: ‘Dressed the wrong body’: Grieving woman horrified to learn that funeral for her grandmother had a stranger in the casket, lawsuit says

According to the lawsuit obtained by Law&Crime, 80-year-old Otis Adkinson died on Feb. 28, leaving behind his wife of 56 years. Following his death, the family entered into a contract with Harrison-Ross and bought a suit for the funeral home to use for the viewing.

The plaintiffs “trusted” that Adkinson would be “treated with the highest professional standards and principles” required by law, the lawsuit said. His viewing was set for April 7. At least until Hunt realized the mistake, according to the lawsuit.

“The family was extremely distraught leading to confusing, emotional distress, and arguments amongst the family about why the wrong corpse was at the viewing,” plaintiff lawyers wrote.

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That distress was furthered when staff members at the funeral home “doubled down” on their assertion that the right body was inside. They allegedly changed their tune after Hunt showed them a photo of Adkinson.

“Defendant then took the corpse to another facility, apparently took the designated suit off the corpse, and switched it to decedent’s body,” the suit reads. “This entire exchange took several hours and by the time that defendant brought decedent’s body back to the viewing there was little to no time left for any viewing.”

While the funeral home did not immediately return a message from Law&Crime seeking comment, it denied the claims in the lawsuit to CBS Los Angeles affiliate KCAL. The funeral home reportedly said it is working on a cease-and-desist letter to Hunt and her family.

Adkinson’s funeral went on as scheduled on April 8. He wore the same suit that was on the wrong corpse, per the plaintiffs.

The family has “suffered tremendously from the defendants’ shameful conduct.” They are suing for negligence, breach of contract and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

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