Bay Area Mortuary Gives Father Son's Brain Instead Of Clothes: Report

SAN JOSE, CA – A mortuary and funeral service director in San Jose handed a father a bag and told him it contained his son's clothes but they had accidentally left his son's brain in it instead, according to a report by KRON4.

A lawsuit has been filed against Lima Family Erickson Memorial Chapel by the family of Alexander Pinon. Court documents obtained by KRON4 reveal the suit stems from a $10,000 "full-service memorial tribute package" contract that included embalming, dressing, casketing, transportation of remains, and a funeral service.

The lawsuit stated that Pinon died in a Santa Clara home in May.

For the funeral, Pinon's family requested that he be dressed in attire other than what he was wearing on the day of his death.

On June 4, the father went to retrieve his son's clothing from funeral director Annette “Anita” Singh at the mortuary. Singh gave him a red biohazardous bag, claiming it held the clothing. The father drove home and immediately dumped the bag's contents into his washing machine, the lawsuit stated.

The family was unaware a cranial autopsy had removed part of his brain. Unaware it was his son's brain matter, the father scooped it from his washing machine and put it back in the bag, returning it to Singh later that day. Attorneys claim Singh never explained the morbid mix-up or provided the son's clothing, according to KRON4.

Pinon's family is suing the funeral homes and licensed funeral directors for negligence, fraud, infliction of emotional distress and breach of contract.

The lawsuit demands a jury trial.

Read the full story at KRON4.