Lawsuit Filed Against Sacramento Funeral Home for Mix-Up in Body Delivery

Francisco Quintanilla’s family has sued La Paz Funeral Home after they received the wrong body for his funeral in El Salvador. The lawsuit cites negligence, improper embalming, and emotional distress. The family’s experience was made worse by receiving Quintanilla’s body in an unacceptable state, leading to severe emotional ramifications. Legal proceedings are ongoing in Sacramento Superior Court.
The family of Francisco Quintanilla has initiated legal proceedings against La Paz Funeral Home in Sacramento, California, after the wrong body was dispatched for a planned open-casket funeral in El Salvador. According to the lawsuit, the funeral home was obligated to appropriately embalm and transport Quintanilla’s body for interment, yet they failed to do so, resulting in considerable emotional distress for the family.
Upon their arrival in El Salvador, the family discovered that the body they received was not that of Francisco Quintanilla. The plaintiffs assert they were not informed of this mix-up prior to the funeral service and learned of it only when they opened the casket. They were allegedly told by La Paz that the funeral home did not know the whereabouts of Quintanilla’s remains, leaving them without information for several days.
Eventually, La Paz Funeral Home managed to locate and dispatch Quintanilla’s actual body, but it arrived in an “shocking state of decomposition.” The lawsuit describes the condition of the body, stating it had turned purple, was shriveled, leaked fluids, and emitted a foul odor. This unfortunate state of affairs rendered a proper funeral impossible for the grieving family.
The attorney representing the Quintanilla family emphasized the profound emotional impact this incident has had, as they could not properly grieve or memorialize their loved one. The lawsuit seeks compensation for negligence, breach of contract, and emotional distress, underscoring the family’s desire to honor Francisco according to El Salvadoran traditions.
Maria Mercedes Medjia de Quintanilla, the deceased’s wife, expressed her devastation in a statement, sharing that the family had planned an open-casket service to celebrate Francisco’s life. Instead, she lamented that their last memory of him is now one they wish to forget. Legal proceedings are currently ongoing in Sacramento Superior Court regarding this case.
The filing of this lawsuit highlights serious alleged misconduct by La Paz Funeral Home, including negligence and emotional distress caused to Francisco Quintanilla’s family. The family seeks accountability for what they describe as a deeply distressing experience during their time of grief, which was further exacerbated by the appalling condition of the body upon receipt. This case raises critical concerns about ethical practices within the funeral service industry and the importance of maintaining standards of care.
Original Source: www.latintimes.com