A family is devastated after discovering a stranger’s body in their loved one’s casket, leading to a relative suffering a heart attack. Joey Espinosa’s relatives gathered for his funeral but were shocked to find a different casket than the one they selected. It became apparent that the person inside was not Joey, causing distress to his aunt Laura Levario. The situation was so overwhelming that Laura’s husband had a heart attack and required life support.
Following the confusion, the family was led to another room at Forest Lawn Covina Hills funeral home in California, where yet another incorrect casket was present. It took staff over an hour to locate the correct room for mourning, leaving the family in distress. Forest Lawn attributed the mix-up to a “scheduling error” and offered a mere $200 as an apology, which fell far short of the nearly $20,000 funeral expenses.
The Espinosa family has taken legal action against the mortuary, citing emotional distress and negligence. Their attorney criticized the handling of the situation, emphasizing the expectation of proper procedures when paying for services like those provided by Forest Lawn.
In a similar incident, two sisters preparing for their mother’s funeral were stunned to find a stranger dressed in their mother’s clothing in the casket. Despite initial denials by the funeral home, the truth emerged when the body of their mother, Mary Archer, was discovered in the embalming room. The sisters emphasized the lack of resemblance between their mother and the misplaced body, highlighting the distress caused by the mix-up.
After the bodies were correctly identified and switched, the funeral services proceeded as planned, providing some closure to the grieving families.
