A funeral home in New York City, R.G. Ortiz, is facing legal action after allegedly sending a woman’s body to the wrong country, where it remained for over two weeks. The family of Carmen Maldonado claims that when she passed away at the age of 96, they arranged for her body to be sent to Parque del Paz in Ecuador for a second viewing and burial. However, the funeral home mistakenly sent her remains to Guatemala instead of Ecuador, causing significant distress to the family.
The lawsuit filed against R.G. Ortiz states that the funeral home failed to properly advise the family of the error, leading to Maldonado’s body being improperly sent to a funeral in Guatemala. The family only discovered the mistake when a local Guatemalan journalist posted about it on TikTok. By the time they were informed, Maldonado’s body had significantly decomposed, making it unsuitable for an open casket funeral.
Despite the condition of Maldonado’s body, the family proceeded with the funeral in Guatemala. They described the distressing sight of their mother’s badly decomposed remains, with her skin appearing to melt off and her hands having to be covered with plastic bags. The family expressed feelings of horror, sadness, and dismay over the mishandling of Maldonado’s remains.
The lawsuit alleges that R.G. Ortiz’s actions interfered with the family’s right to lay Maldonado to rest with dignity and respect, causing them great mental pain and anguish. Attorney Phil Rizzuto, representing the family, criticised the funeral home for its egregious error and lack of communication with the family throughout the ordeal.
R.G. Ortiz has a history of similar accusations, including losing bodies, presenting incorrect caskets for viewing, and providing cremation urns with questionable contents. The funeral home has faced regulatory scrutiny and was ordered to pay restitution and fines for previous violations. Mayor Eric Adams condemned the establishment’s actions, calling them appalling and unacceptable.
The lawsuit against R.G. Ortiz highlights multiple cases of mishandling remains, misrepresenting services, and failing to provide adequate care for deceased individuals. Families have reported distressing experiences with the funeral home, including bodies in various states of decomposition, improper handling of cremains, and delays in returning ashes to grieving relatives.
The allegations against R.G. Ortiz have prompted legal action and public outrage, with calls for accountability and improved practices within the funeral industry. The funeral home has yet to formally respond to the accusations, leaving the affected families seeking justice for the mishandling of their loved ones’ remains.