Second family claims funeral home mistake left their loved one 'dripping' from casket
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A second family is coming forward, claiming a funeral company's mistake led to their loved one 'dripping' out of his casket.
ABC13 shared the story of a World War II veteran's family going to court after they were told his remains were 'dripping' from the casket and they were asked to pay for the clean up. After that story aired, we heard from a father who was about to say his final goodbye when noticed his son's body was coming apart.
"I don't think I'll recover. I'm trying to live with it," Isidro Paredes told Eyewitness News.
Still grieving his son's death two years ago, Paredes says what happened in the month after only made it worse. He hired Restwood Funeral Home in Clute to embalm the body of his beloved son, Randy Paredes, 25, for a local funeral service before transporting him to Mexico for another service and burial. Paredes had done the same thing for his father, he says, and was assured it would be no problem.
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During the local service, Paredes started seeing a change in the condition of his son's body.
"His forehead was turning blackish purple," said Paredes.
When he arrived in Mexico, it got worse.
"It was like they didn't do a good job. There was just liquids all over. He was dripping," said Paredes.
"Dripping?" Reporter Jessica Willey asked.
"His liquids out of his body," he added.
Eyewitness News found similar scenarios detailed in two lawsuits against Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home. The funeral home and Restwood are owned by SCI Texas Funeral Services. The company only responded to one of the lawsuits saying, "Due to pending litigation and out of respect for the family, we are unable to share any details on this matter."
They did not answer additional questions.
"I just hold my breath. Give him his last kiss on the forehead. It was not nice," recalled Paredes, who remembers the awful smell.
His son's casket had to be closed. Paredes is suing for breach of contract and negligence and to send a message.
"I think my son deserves a good departure. If you just stay quiet, they're not going to learn. They'll keep doing it to others," he added.
Neither Restwood nor Forest Park The Woodlands has disciplinary action against their license, according to the Texas Funeral Service Commission website.
