‘Thought it was a joke’: Parents given ‘the wrong ashes’ of 2-year-old by crematory who let child’s body rot in his funeral clothes, lawsuit says

A parent and begetter successful Maryland are suing a crematory and its operators aft they allegedly failed to cremate their 2-month-old lad and stowed his assemblage distant wrong of the now-closed facility, which was sanctioned past twelvemonth for storing “human remains successful cardboard boxes” and different disturbing ways, according to authorities officials.

In summation to not cremating the child, Heaven Bound Crematory operators Rosa Turner and Brandon Williams, of Charles County, besides gave the parents “the incorrect ashes,” according to Laquanda Brown and Christopher Parham, whose son, Coi’seir Parham, died successful October.

“He rolled implicit successful his slumber and benignant of suffocated,” Parham said.

The parents recovered retired astir the alleged failed cremation successful February.

“Like that telephone we got from the detective was similar the coiled [of their son’s death] was astir successful the process of putting itself backmost together, but similar it’s conscionable ripping it disconnected again,” Parham told section ABC affiliate WJLA.

Brown said that erstwhile they received the telephone from the detective, she and Parham were “in disbelief.”

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Brown and Parham’s lawyer, Sara Aguiniga, told Law&Crime connected Thursday that the brace is suing Heaven Bound and Stewart Funeral Services, on with Turner and Williams, for $10 cardinal for the alleged handling of their son’s cremation.

“The defendants’ heinous disregard for quality dignity shocks the conscience,” Aguiniga said successful a statement. “Heaven Bound and Stewart Funeral Services took vantage of radical during their astir susceptible clip and person caused significant, irreparable harm. This suit is simply a captious measurement to clasp them accountable and support those who cannot talk for themselves.”

According to the parents’ complaint, Parham was notified by constabulary connected Feb. 27 astir the ashes not being from his son.

“Upon receiving this call, Mr. Parham thought that it was a joke, and did not recognize however anyone could prosecute successful specified a cruel prank,” the ailment says.

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Police were tipped disconnected that period astir quality remains being improperly stored astatine Heaven Bound and officers allegedly recovered the kid “amongst the bodies,” the ailment says.

“Ms. Brown and Mr. Parham, were shocked and saddened upon learning that the ashes successful their location were not the ashes of Baby C.P.,” the papers adds.

The Maryland State Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors has been sanctioning and investigating the Heaven Bound Crematory for astir a decade, with authorities records showing sanctions and failed inspections from 2017 to aboriginal 2024.

In March 2024, the board’s pb researcher conducted an inspection of the crematory that revealed “human bodies successful cardboard boxes stacked connected apical of each different with nary enactment betwixt the boxes; quality bodies successful ripped assemblage bags with arms and legs hanging retired of the assemblage bags; quality remains that were not being stored astatine temperatures beneath 40F; and humor connected the refrigeration portion and bodily fluids connected the floor,” according to an order for summary suspension filed by authorities officials for Turner’s relation registration. Williams was besides stripped of his credentials.

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The board’s researcher conducted a follow-up inspection successful April 2024, which revealed “a beardown odor of decomposing remains” and “flies coming retired of boxes containing quality bodies,” the bid says.

“I consciousness similar they benignant of chose concern implicit doing what’s right,” Parham told WJLA.

“He kept telling maine from the infinitesimal we walked into the ceremonial home, ‘something’s not right,’” Brown told section NBC affiliate WRC astir Parham. “But to find retired that a 2-month-old was among those bodies, and was inactive successful the aforesaid apparel helium was wearing astatine the clip of his ceremonial is conscionable shocking and devastating.”