Hutchison Funeral Home in Detroit accused of negligence after cremation mix-up
(FOX 2) - Two families have filed lawsuits against a Detroit funeral home after it allegedly mixed up plans that ended with one deceased individual being cremated and the other being dressed for an open-casket funeral and being passed off as someone else.
The case, which was filed in Wayne County Circuit Court Tuesday night, involves the families of Kimberly Moore and Sandra Miller.
Moore died of cancer on Sept. 3. Miller died on Sept. 13.
"The events that brought the families together occurred on Sept. 19," said James Harrington, an attorney at Fieger Law.
Both families attended a press conference on Wednesday afternoon at the law firm's office in Southfield, where they alleged Hutchison Funeral Home committed a "series of catastrophic errors" that ended with both families in anguish and distraught.
‘Mom, I’m so sorry that this happened to you'
What they're saying:
Cecily Walker, the daughter of Miller, said her mom died of ovarian cancer. She described her as "sweet, shy, kindhearted" who fiercely loved her family.
"I was with her when she died. Me and my younger brother laid our heads on her chest, telling her we loved her as she took her final breath and after everything she endured, I wanted one thing for my mom. I wanted her to finally be at peace and be treated with the dignity she deserved," she said.
She first suspected something was wrong when she saw reports on social media that a funeral home had mixed up.
"Because of the timing, I got concerned that it might have been my mom," she said.
Miller's body was allegedly dressed up and passed off as the body of another woman: Kimberly Moore.
"My mom — she was everything to me," said Bianca Robinson, Miller's daughter. "I didn't get a chance to say goodbye and I needed this so bad just to keep going."
Lawyer: Pure careless recklessness
The lawsuits filed in circuit court cover several crimes.
According to Harrington, the complaint for Moore involves eight counts, including interference with the right of funeral services, cremation, interment, negligence and gross negligence, breach of contract, violation of the Michigan Consumer Protection Act.
Hutchison Funeral Home, its owner, and Michigan Cremation Services Inc. were all named in the suit.
Another complaint for Miller was also submitted, involving the same counts against the funeral home and its owner. Harrington called the explanations offered by the funeral home and efforts to hide the accident were "truly unthinkable."
"Being told that a body is a family member and not — what that can do to somebody's psyche is unimaginable," he said, adding it's an indefensible case.
Detroit funeral home mix-up
The backstory:
On Sept. 18, Moore’s family arrived at Hutchison Funeral Home on East 7 Mile in Detroit for a viewing when they learned their mother's body was gone.
Initially, the funeral home appeared to have passed off a different body as Kimberly Moore, according to family, who later learned their mom had been cremated.
Three days after that, they said they still don't know where her remains are.
A spokesperson for Hutchison Funeral Home in Detroit said on Sept. 21:
"The family refused the ashes after being offered them in an urn on Friday because one of the members of the family wanted to have a DNA test because they were unsure it was their mother. The Hutchison Family offer to pay for a DNA. The ashes are available for the family to receive at any time."
Family demands answers after wrongful cremation
On Monday, a family member says they have not been given the cremated remains of Kimberly Moore and the funeral home says something entirely different.
The Source: Previous reporting was cited for this story. It will be updated for more information.