The last thing any family would want to hear after a funeral is that they have the wrong ashes, yet that’s what one son claims happened with his late father at an Ohio funeral home. Under the username Alternative-Trust182, he posted to r/legaladvice explaining his situation. It’s been over a month since his father was cremated, but the funeral home has just recently reached out, saying the ashes belong to someone else. Fortunately, they claim they know where the correct ashes are, but there’s a dark catch.
“They want my mom to sign an agreement saying she accepts a refund and won’t discuss the mistake publicly,” Alternative-Trust182 wrote. On top of that, the funeral home allegedly won’t “release the correct ashes until the paperwork is completed.” The son went on, adding how this isn’t about getting a refund; his family just wants their father’s remains back.
Reddit Condemns the Ohio Funeral Home’s Shady Attempt at Saving Its Skin
All that being said, the son’s question on the subreddit is whether this funeral home is allowed to do something like this: withholding a family member’s remains over signing an NDA. Among those tuning into the post, the majority of Redditors say no. “This is all kinds of unethical. Holding your father’s ashes hostage,” remarked a commenter.
“This is considered ransoming and is illegal. They cannot hold a body/ cremated or not hostage for any purpose,” agreed another. “They’re trying to silence you and holding your father’s ashes hostage to coerce [you] into a legal agreement,” added a third.
The best and most upvoted suggestion was that OP contact The Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors in Ohio. While several commenters recommended considering a lawyer, getting the authorities involved will be free and result in less of a legal battle.
While Alternative-Trust182 hasn’t updated as to what he plans to do or whether he’s gotten the funeral home to cooperate, his reaction of interest in contacting government officials seems like a good sign.
