MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis mother is planning to sue a funeral home she claims lost her son’s body.
“I got to hold him kiss him look at him. He had eyes arms and legs. He wasn’t a fetus; he was a baby. He just didn’t make it because he was small,” the mother, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told WREG,
The woman shared her story in hopes it could help other parents. She said her first baby, Jual, was born premature, weighing one pound one ounce. He didn’t make it through the night, so she planned a burial service for him the next week.
That was until MJ Edwards Funeral home called her to come to their offices immediately.
“When I got there, she said they don’t know where his remains are the day before the burial,” she said.
She says the funeral home told her that since her baby’s body was missing she could opt for a memorial service without the body — or wait to see if Jual’s body turned up.
“I feel like they treated him any kind of way because he was small. You wouldn’t have lost a 50- or 18-year-old,” she said.
As a result, she went to the hospital where she discovered documentation that showed the funeral home picked up her son’s body at 3 a.m. on Aug. 24.
What happens after that remains a mystery.
James Sanders is representing the mother in this case.
“Part of the problem is she doesn’t know had happened,” Sanders said. “There has been no explanation of any kind other than merely saying we lost the body.”
They’re suing the funeral home for negligence.
The firm representing MJ Edwards said that while it’s the prerogative of the family to share this story publicly; they will keep the bond of confidentiality with the family.
However, the young mother said no amount of money will change what she’s been through.
“Next year on August 23, to me, that’s going to be his first birthday. I’m not going to be able to go to the grave-site to visit because I don’t know where he is,” she said.
