Celebrity Funeral Home Mixes Up Ashes, Lawsuit

Originally Posted on the New York Post

Disclaimer: We never like to share content that is showing funeral homes in a bad light. However, this is something that is happening far too often and funeral homes need to beware. Even if you think your firm is exempt from mistakes like this it is your responsibility to do everything in your power to make sure this never happens. Make sure your processes and procedures are in check.

Two sons are suing a legendary Manhattan funeral home that hosted Joan Rivers’ memorial service for allegedly mixing up their father’s ashes up with a stranger’s remains.

Brothers Michael Defeo and Charles Peter Defeo III selected the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home on Madison Avenue to hold a private ceremony in honor of their father Peter Defeo.

The brothers signed an agreement with the funeral home on Dec. 31, 2016 and pre-paid $12,188, their Manhattan Supreme Court suit says.

They were shocked to later learn that during the cremation process their father’s remains were mistakenly co-mingled with the remains of an unrelated adult male, their suit says.

The undertakers admitted the error, but the brothers say it’s now impossible to separate the ashes. So they’ve left the remains at the funeral home.

The macabre mixup has deprived the sons of “the solace and comfort associated with possession of a deceased family member’s remains.”

They’re suing for $100,000 in emotional distress and trauma.

Reps for the funeral home were not immediately available for comment.