A Boston funeral home owned by Service Corporation International is on the hook for $325,000 after losing the remains of a still-born infant in 2003.
Therese Bellissimo and Robert Benedict had twins in 2003, but one, Lourdes, was still-born. The family retained the services of JS Waterman & Sons, but the funeral home lost the boy’s remains, and admitted he may have been cremated with an unrelated woman.
Local coverage here, here, and here.
I especially like how Joseph J. Leghorn, the attorney for the funeral home, admitted Waterman lost the boy’s remains, but contended that any emotional distress the Benedicts suffered was the result of the premature delivery, and the boy’s death, not the loss of his remains. Yes, I’m sure sifting through another person’s ashes wasn’t distressing at all.
