Nationwide — The household of Joey Espinosa, a 44-year-old man from Covina, California, is suing a funeral residence after discovering the flawed physique within the casket throughout his memorial service. The surprising mix-up led to panic, confusion, and even a medical emergency within the chapel.
Espinosa died from coronary heart failure, and his kin gathered at Forest Garden West Covina to say their remaining goodbyes. However as quickly as they entered the chapel, his aunt, Laura Levario, realized one thing was off. The flowers that they had chosen had been there, however the man within the casket was not Espinosa.
“I seen the physique wasn’t my nephew’s and the coffin we picked out wasn’t,” Levario advised WLBT. “I’m pondering, ‘What’s occurring?’”
When funeral employees tried to repair the error, they led the household to a different room solely to seek out one other flawed physique. It reportedly took greater than an hour earlier than employees positioned Espinosa’s stays, and the service might lastly start.
Within the midst of the chaos, Levario’s husband suffered a coronary heart assault contained in the chapel. “I awakened three days later within the hospital on life help,” he stated. “It’s the worst expertise we’ve ever had.”
The Espinosa household later filed a lawsuit towards Forest Garden West Covina, which known as the incident a “scheduling error.” Their legal professional, Elvis Tran, stated the household paid practically $20,000 for the funeral however was supplied solely $200 in compensation.
“As an alternative of mourning and remembering their beloved one, they’re looking for a physique,” Tran stated. The household is now demanding accountability and stricter procedures to make sure no different household goes by way of the identical ordeal.
