A family in New York City is facing a heartbreaking ordeal after a funeral home allegedly sent their mother's casket to the wrong country for burial. Carmen Maldonado, who passed away at the age of 96, was supposed to be laid to rest in Ecuador next to her late husband. However, due to a grave error by Rivera Funeral Home in Corona, New York, her body was mistakenly sent to Guatemala instead, as revealed in court documents.
The family's attorney, Phil Rizzuto, expressed the family's devastation and shock upon learning of the mix-up. The distressing truth came to light when a video surfaced on TikTok, showing a family in Guatemala discovering Carmen Maldonado's body in a casket during a funeral for their son. Both bodies had been handled by Rivera Funeral Home, leading to a distressing and unimaginable situation.
Despite initial denials and misleading information from the funeral home, the family eventually confronted the truth after viewing the TikTok video. Subsequently, Maldonado's son had to travel to Guatemala to retrieve his mother's body and fulfill her final wish of being buried in Ecuador.
Rizzuto criticized the funeral home's handling of the situation, emphasizing the severity of the mistake and the subsequent attempts to downplay the error. The family was left to deal with the emotional turmoil and logistical challenges caused by the funeral home's negligence.
In response to the distressing incident, Carmen Maldonado's family has taken legal action against both the funeral home and its parent company. Rizzuto condemned the attempted cover-up of the mistake, highlighting the lack of transparency and accountability displayed by the funeral home throughout the ordeal.
Ultimately, Carmen Maldonado was laid to rest in Ecuador, allowing her family to find closure after a series of unfortunate events that marred their grieving process. The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of diligence and respect in handling the final arrangements of loved ones, underscoring the profound impact that errors in the funeral industry can have on families already grappling with loss.
