A New Jersey-based funeral home is under scrutiny following allegations of a grave error involving the misidentification of a deceased individual. The Boyd Funeral Home in Camden is accused of dressing an unrecognizable body in the clothes of the late Addison Jenkins, who passed away in February 2023. The family of the deceased discovered the error when they inspected the casket prior to a public viewing.
The family’s distress was immediate upon seeing the unfamiliar body in the casket, dressed in Jenkins’ clothes and personal items. The incident, which occurred on February 17th, left the family shocked, upset, and tearful, according to a complaint filed on September 5th by the Jenkins family. The family is accusing the funeral home of negligence in the handling of human remains, among other charges.
The complaint further alleges that the funeral director was absent when the family wished to voice their concerns. A makeup artist from the funeral home reportedly tried to reassure the family that the body was indeed Jenkins’. However, the family and funeral home staff continued to disagree about the identity of the body in the casket.
The funeral home director sent photos to the family in an attempt to prove the body was Jenkins’. However, the family pointed out that specific markings, including a cauliflower ear and a noticeable foot infection, which were characteristic of Jenkins, were not present on the body in the casket.
The family was finally able to confirm the body was indeed Jenkins’ when they viewed the body again on February 18th and requested the casket be opened. The family’s attorney, Michael Shaw, issued a statement on October 22nd, describing the incident as “disturbing and reprehensible.” He criticized the funeral home’s response to the family’s concerns, accusing them of gaslighting the grieving family by insisting the unidentified body was their late loved one.
The Jenkins family is seeking compensation and punitive damages through a jury trial, according to the complaint.