A Black family in Detroit is speaking out after a horrible mistake by a funeral home made the loss of a loved one even more painful.
The family of Kimberly Kaye Moore alleges that they were shocked to discover that the woman lying in the casket at the funeral they planned wasn’t Moore at all. In fact, it was a completely different woman wearing Moore’s clothes and her wig.
“It’s a lady in there with our mother’s dress on, and her hair on, and her makeup, and it’s not our mother,” Moore’s son Byron told WXYZ 7 News Detroit.
Moore’s daughter, Bianca Robinson, discovered the error, noting that when she went to the Hutchison Funeral Home to put finishing touches on her mother’s hair and makeup, one of the morticians allegedly asked her if she thought the woman lying there was her mom.
“So he unzipped the bag, and when he unzipped the bag, I looked at the toe, and I said, ‘it’s not a mole on her toe.’ And I turned around, and I looked at him, and I said, ‘This is not my mama, sir,’” Robinson said.
Robinson said the mortician apologized, suggesting the mix-up may have happened because two other women were brought in at the same time, suggesting an accidental cremation. The only excuse the mortician could offer for the alleged error was that Moore’s toe tag may have gotten wet and fallen off, leading to the confusion with the other woman.
As a result, Moore’s family went to the funeral home to call attention to their error. The only action the home took at the time was to lock the doors. However, the Vice President of Operations eventually spoke to WXYZ, telling the outlet that they’re “investigating” the matter.
Meanwhile, the family is still seeking closure.
“We don’t have a funeral; we don’t even have her ashes. What do we have?” Robinson questioned. “Somebody please tell us something.”
The funeral home eventually followed up with Fox 2 Detroit and released an official statement on the matter.
“We are heartbroken and deeply sorry for what Ms. Moore’s family has experienced. We are aware of the family’s concerns, and we will continue to communicate with them honestly and respectfully,” the statement reads. “We have launched our own internal review to determine exactly what happened, and we will deal with it accordingly. Out of respect for Ms. Moore and her family, we ask that their privacy be honored during this time. We will share more when we can.”
