HOUSTON – A funeral home has been hit with a lawsuit seeking more than $1 million in damages for displaying the wrong body at viewing.
The family of Natividad Cordova filed suit against Santana Funeral Directors on Jan. 25 in Harris County District Court.
According to the lawsuit, Cordova died on July 30. His family contracted with Santana Funeral and a funeral was held on Aug. 6.
On the day of the funeral, the family arrived early to make sure everything was ready and to deliver the clothing Cordova was to be displayed in, but found his body had not been prepared.
“Defendant (Santana Funeral) finally delivered the body one minute prior to the viewing was scheduled,” the suit states. “The viewing was then delayed while Defendant dressed the Decedent (Cordova).”
When the family was “finally” allowed in to view the body, Cordova’s daughter approached her father to say goodbye.
“Upon touching the body, she noticed that the body displayed in the casket was not her father, but another deceased individual dressed in and displayed in her father’s clothing,” the suit states.
When she complained, the funeral home argued, telling her it was her father in the casket.
“It was not until the entire family objected to other personnel that the Defendant finally looked at the body’s toe tag and acknowledged that it had placed the wrong body in the Decedent’s clothing and brought it to the funeral,” the suit states. “Defendant then removed the incorrect body, and hours later, returned with Decedent’s body.
“Decedent’s body was cold to the touch and the special clothing that the Plaintiffs had purchased was now stained with fluids from the first body. Soon after the Decedent’s body was displayed, it began sweating from the heat and difference in temperatures.”
The plaintiffs are accusing the defendant of breach of contract and acting with malice, entitling them to exemplary damages.
They are represented by Sugar Land attorneys Lori Anne Matthews and Amy Jaasma.
Case No. 2021-04327