QUEENS, N.Y. (WPIX) — A family in Queens, New York, is seeking explanations after alleging that their 93-year-old mother was cremated against her plans for burial. They are looking to hold the responsible funeral home accountable for what they describe as a heartbreaking mistake.
Euvy Rodney’s loved ones, faced with her death on July 8, had engaged the J. Foster Phillips Funeral Home in St. Albans, Queens, to ensure her wishes for a traditional burial were maintained.
However, the family suspects that a tragic error resulted in her body being cremated, ultimately returning them a box of ashes contrary to her explicit desires.
“We feel as though our mother has been taken from us twice,” expressed her daughter, Christine Weever. “Once in her passing and once again in losing her remains.”
Amid their grief, the family gathered outside the funeral home, preparing to honor her memory with a service later this week, while they seek accountability and answers.
Relatives said Rodney’s final wish was to be buried in Guyana, where she was born. They provided a death certificate that appeared to show burial was the next step, as a box for cremation was not checked.
“Our mother was so much more than this tragedy,” said daughter Ramona Rodney Park. Rodney’s youngest daughter broke down while speaking with reporters.
The Rev. Kevin McCall, who is supporting the family, said Rodney’s wishes were clearly documented.
“It says clearly burial in Guyana,” McCall said. “They knew it was not supposed to be cremation.”
J. Foster Phillips Funeral Home, founded in 1929, declined to comment when asked about the family’s allegations. According to New York State, the business is a licensed funeral home.
The family’s attorneys are calling for a state investigation and say they are preparing their own. They also plan to follow up with the crematory.
The family says it had a follow-up meeting with the funeral home but has not had further communication.
Attorney John Elefterakis said one of Rodney’s daughters asked a question he could not answer:
“How do we know if the ashes are even my mother’s?” Elefterakis said. “I can’t comfort her with an answer to that question.”
In 2017, the New York State Department of Health’s Bureau of Funeral Directing encouraged all funeral homes, hospitals and crematories in the state to review policies and procedures for handling and properly identifying human remains.
“Human remains mix-ups occur infrequently, but are highly emotional for all involved when they occur, often triggering litigation,” the state wrote after some reports in 2017 in New York.