On November 3, 2023, in Jackson, Mississippi, a funeral was interrupted when a family discovered the wrong body in the casket of the deceased.
The family had arrived for the wake only to find a stranger lying in Mary Jean Robinson’s casket, dressed in her clothing and adorned with her jewelry.
Georgia Robinson, Mary Jean’s sister, recounted her immediate realization that something was wrong as they approached the casket to pay their respects; from far off she saw that it wasn’t her sister.
The family confronted the director of the Peoples Funeral Home about the mix-up. Georgia described the funeral director’s response as rude and uncaring.
The director informed the family that they would have to pay for the services all over again. Eventually, however, they agreed to some of the family’s demands, including purchasing new clothes for Mary Jean, but declined to replace the casket.
Robinson expressed her dismay, especially when the earrings initially worn by the stranger were then put on Mary Jean despite her specific request against it.
She reflected on the potential consequences if they had opted for a closed casket service, acknowledging that they could have unknowingly buried someone else’s loved one.
James Stewart, one of the directors of Peoples Funeral Home, neither confirmed nor denied the mix-up but claimed that the family expressed satisfaction with their services.
Whether the family intends to pursue legal action against the funeral home for this error remains unclear.
