COLUMBUS, Ohio – A family is suing an Ohio funeral company after their deceased relative's body was misplaced and the wrong corpse was displayed for a private viewing.
Seven family members of Nivina Cargill filed the lawsuit Monday against Smoot Funeral Services, which works out of Edwards Funeral Home.
The suit, filed in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, seeks more than $25,000 in both compensatory and punitive damages.
Cargill's sister, Pamela Merritt, says the suit isn't about money, it's about ensuring what happened doesn't occur to another family.
Merritt says another woman was found in a casket wearing her sister's clothing when relatives arrived for Cargill's July 1 viewing.
She says the family waited five hours for staff to find and prepare Cargill's body.
Smoot didn't respond to requests for comment.
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