A California family is suing Harrison-Ross Mortuary in Compton after discovering a stranger in the casket meant for their uncle, Otis Adkinson. The incident occurred during the viewing on April 7, when Amentha Hunt and her family arrived to find another man dressed in Adkinson's clothes. Despite Hunt's immediate concerns, a mortuary worker initially insisted that the body was indeed her uncle's. It wasn't until Hunt showed pictures of Adkinson that the error was acknowledged.
The family waited three hours for the mortuary to rectify the mistake, leaving them with limited time to say their goodbyes. Hunt's attorney, Elvis Tran, criticized the funeral home's handling of the situation, stating, "For them to come in and see the wrong corpse, and for the mortuary to deny it's the wrong corpse, we think it's really just a basic standard of care that they messed up on."
The lawsuit, filed on May 15, accuses the mortuary of negligence and emotional distress. Hunt shared with KCAL that the image of the stranger in her uncle's suit remains vivid in her mind. The mortuary has denied the allegations and is reportedly preparing to send a cease-and-desist letter to Hunt.
Adkinson, who passed away on February 28, was a Memphis native remembered as a "good ole country boy" who enjoyed fishing, barbecuing, dancing, and watching the Los Angeles Lakers.