A family in New York City sued a funeral home after their mother’s casket was allegedly sent to the wrong country for burial, as reported by Fox News.
Carmen Maldonado, who passed away shortly after her 96th birthday, was meant to be laid to rest in Ecuador beside her husband. However, her children claim the Rivera Funeral Home in Corona mistakenly sent her body to Guatemala.“The family was absolutely devastated and in shock,” said Phil Rizzuto, the family’s attorney.
The family discovered the error through a TikTok video featuring a family in Guatemala who were stunned to find Maldonado’s body during a funeral for their son. According to Rizzuto, both bodies had been prepared by Rivera Funeral Home.
“The funeral home led them to believe their mother’s body was still in the building in Queens, and they were making excuses as to why there was a delay in transporting her to Ecuador,” Rizzuto explained. Initially, the funeral home denied the family’s claims, but they later admitted the mistake after being shown the video.
Maldonado’s son had to fly to Guatemala to retrieve her body and bring it back to Ecuador for burial. Rizzuto expressed frustration, stating, “They minimized it, and they told them it was no big deal. You know, it was just a mistake.”
The family is suing Rivera Funeral Home and its parent company for their alleged misconduct. Rizzuto said, “A mistake is one thing, but to then try to cover it up is … a whole other level of misconduct.”