A shocking incident at a funeral in South Carolina, USA, has ended up in court. A woman has filed a lawsuit against a funeral home after discovering during the farewell ceremony for her 87-year-old mother that the body of an unknown woman, dressed in the deceased’s clothes, was in the casket.
Iris Gordon paid $13,820 to arrange the funeral of her mother, Evans, at Ocean View Funeral Home in January. According to the lawsuit filed Thursday, she and more than 20 family members arrived for the ceremony but were confronted with a shocking scene when they approached the open casket. Instead of her mother, Gordon saw the body of an unknown woman, dressed in black and gold, with the deceased’s shawl, hat and wig.
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According to court documents, the girl had previously handed over to the funeral home her mother’s black and white African dress, as well as the accessories and underwear she was supposed to use during the ceremony.
The family wanted Evans to be remembered as she was in life, dressed in her Sunday best, singing in the church choir. She is described in the lawsuit as a devout Christian with a special love for music and church.
According to the lawsuit, after Gordon contacted staff to report the mix-up, the funeral home admitted it had made a mistake. About two hours later, the family was presented with her mother’s body, dressed in the correct clothes. However, the daughter claims the incident has caused her severe emotional distress, including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. In the lawsuit, she is seeking reimbursement of the $13,820 she paid for funeral services, as well as additional damages, the amount of which has not been determined.