Two New York sisters filed a $60 million lawsuit against the alleged funeral homes they say buried the wrong man in their father's grave wearing his clothes.
Stacy Holzman and Megan Zaner claim Fletcher Funeral and Cremation Service in Fountain Inn, S.C., mistakenly sent the remains of a stranger instead of their father Clifford Zaner, who died from heart failure in his South Carolina home in February, up to Long Island in their father's burial clothes to be buried in their family plot at Mount Ararat Cemetery, the lawsuit said, according to PEOPLE.
"I just feel so wronged," Megan told Fox 5 NY." You trust these people. You don't know what you're doing, this doesn't happen every day. We lose our dad once in our life."
The women said Fletcher sent the remains to the Star of David Memorial Chapels in West Babylon, New York, but that they noticed something was wrong when they asked to see their father one last time. Stacy and Megan, upon seeing the body, did not recognize the man in the coffin.
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The sisters claim they voiced their concerns to the Star of David, which they say insisted the body belonged to their father throughout the viewing, funeral services and burial. The women said in the lawsuit that Fletcher left Clifford's remains "abandoned" inside its morgue "without dignity or respect" and that mixing up the bodies meant Clifford was not buried in accordance with Jewish tradition.
"I said it while we were there," Stacy told Fox 5 NY. "I said I don't recognize him. The last memory of my father is that I don't recognize him."
The Star of David said in a statement that the family "confirmed the identification of the deceased at the cemetery" before the burial. The Star of David said it "took swift and decisive action to contact the family and offer whatever services needed to lessen their grief" after Fletcher notified them of the mistake.
"We deeply regret any sorrow experienced by the family for the mistake made by the funeral home in South Carolina," the Star of David said, adding that "families are under a great deal of stress when they identify their deceased."
The funeral home said it is reviewing protocols and will "make any recommended changes to ensure the correct identification of family members. We are committed to continuing to provide the highest level of compassion and care to families who have entrusted us with their loved ones."
Stacy realized something was wrong upon seeing her father’s mustache was missing, according to WCBS. When she then asked the funeral director, she was informed that it was standard practice to shave everyone's body. Stacy, who still was not convinced it was her father, also observed an autopsy scar on the head despite no autopsy being conducted on him.
"I'm like, 'No, this isn't right, I don't recognize him,'" Stacy recalled.
But her concerns were still dismissed by the funeral home.
Three weeks later, Fletcher told the family that they had mixed up the bodies, according to the lawsuit. A second funeral with Clifford's remains was held in Jacksonville, Florida, on March 24.
Megan and Stacy said Fletcher has apologized for the mistake, but that they have not received a refund for the first funeral with Star of David, Fox 5 NY reported.
"I want them to take responsibility for this horrible mistake," Megan told the outlet. "And I do want things put in place in the future, which I think should have been there, from happening to anybody else."
