A family is suing an Arizona mortuary after they say it “wrongfully cremated” their mother against their wishes, according to a lawsuit.

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Jason Glenn and his siblings had planned to hold a open-casket viewing during the funeral for their mother, Joann Stephens, after she died following a battle with dementia on Nov. 15, according to the lawsuit, which was filed on Feb. 27.

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Glenn, Stephens’ youngest son, told McClatchy News that he went to the funeral home, Eastlake Mortuary in Phoenix, the day after his mother’s death to make sure everything was arranged for her funeral. He had already been in touch with the funeral home prior to her passing to communicate the family’s wishes, he said.

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Later that day, the funeral director called him and asked him to come back to the facility, he said. When he arrived, the director told him that his mother had been cremated.

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“We were honestly just devastated,” said Glenn, who said his mother had been “adamant” about wanting a funeral. “You really don’t know how to respond to something like that.”

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When McClatchy News called Eastlake Mortuary, someone who answered the phone declined to comment on the lawsuit.

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Family members were already flying in from different states expecting to attend an open-casket funeral for Stephens, who was a beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Glenn said.

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“It was very difficult to tell all the grandkids that they won’t see their grandmother,” he said.

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Ever since his mother was “mistakenly” cremated, Glenn said it’s been a “roller coaster of emotions.”

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“How do you get closure with all of this?” he said.

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C. Randall Stone, an attorney representing the family, said he is going to pursue DNA testing for the family so that they can ensure the ashes given to them belong to their mother.

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But in the meantime, Glenn said he and his siblings are trying to cope with the fact that they weren’t able to properly honor their mother’s final wishes.

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“It’s very painful,” he said. “It’s very difficult to find closure in it all.”

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He said his mother, who died at 86, loved her family and could always make everyone laugh, until dementia started to affect her mental faculties.

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“She was a beautiful person,” he said.

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The lawsuit is seeking an unspecified amount of damages and attorneys’ fees. But Glenn said he hopes that drawing attention to the issue will help prevent a similar error from impacting another family.

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“This never needs to happen again, ever, to anyone,” he said. “I can’t imagine it happening to anyone else.”

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A family is suing an Arizona mortuary after they say it “wrongfully cremated” their mother against their wishes, according to a lawsuit.

[–>

Jason Glenn and his siblings had planned to hold a open-casket viewing during the funeral for their mother, Joann Stephens, after she died following a battle with dementia on Nov. 15, according to the lawsuit, which was filed on Feb. 27.

[–>

Glenn, Stephens’ youngest son, told McClatchy News that he went to the funeral home, Eastlake Mortuary in Phoenix, the day after his mother’s death to make sure everything was arranged for her funeral. He had already been in touch with the funeral home prior to her passing to communicate the family’s wishes, he said.

[–>

Later that day, the funeral director called him and asked him to come back to the facility, he said. When he arrived, the director told him that his mother had been cremated.

[–>

“We were honestly just devastated,” said Glenn, who said his mother had been “adamant” about wanting a funeral. “You really don’t know how to respond to something like that.”

[–>

When McClatchy News called Eastlake Mortuary, someone who answered the phone declined to comment on the lawsuit.

[–>

Family members were already flying in from different states expecting to attend an open-casket funeral for Stephens, who was a beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Glenn said.

[–>

“It was very difficult to tell all the grandkids that they won’t see their grandmother,” he said.

[–>

Ever since his mother was “mistakenly” cremated, Glenn said it’s been a “roller coaster of emotions.”

[–>

“How do you get closure with all of this?” he said.

[–>

C. Randall Stone, an attorney representing the family, said he is going to pursue DNA testing for the family so that they can ensure the ashes given to them belong to their mother.

[–>

But in the meantime, Glenn said he and his siblings are trying to cope with the fact that they weren’t able to properly honor their mother’s final wishes.

[–>

“It’s very painful,” he said. “It’s very difficult to find closure in it all.”

[–>

He said his mother, who died at 86, loved her family and could always make everyone laugh, until dementia started to affect her mental faculties.

[–>

“She was a beautiful person,” he said.

[–>

The lawsuit is seeking an unspecified amount of damages and attorneys’ fees. But Glenn said he hopes that drawing attention to the issue will help prevent a similar error from impacting another family.

[–>

“This never needs to happen again, ever, to anyone,” he said. “I can’t imagine it happening to anyone else.”

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