Wrong bodies at funerals upset families

A funeral home that put the wrong body on view at a service this week was previously fined by the state for performing funerals without a license.

James L. Hawkins Funeral Home, at 1640 Federal St. in South Philadelphia, agreed to pay $1,000 to the state after it performed three funerals in 2006 without a license, according to state records.

The owner of the property, Frankie E. Francis, said the license lapsed for about a month, a mistake that was remedied. The facility is up to date on its license, according to the state.

"It was straightened out," Francis said.

The Hawkins home handled services Tuesday for Kenneth "Tex" Roberts, an 80-year-old truck driver who died of a heart attack. The man in the casket wore Roberts' clothes, but it was not him, said his daughter, Rhonda Wearing.

Family members notified the funeral home staff, who responded that the body was indeed Roberts.

"We had to sit through a service knowing it's not our dad," Wearing said.

Across town at another Francis operation, Francis Funeral Home at 52017 Whitby Ave. in West Philadelphia, a second family was also grieving in front of the wrong man.

"We walked straight to the casket, and that's when I noticed it wasn't him," said Claire Beverly, daughter of Charles Beverly, 82, a former sanitation worker.

Funeral-home officials eventually realized the mistake, and transported the bodies to the appropriate places.

But when Roberts' remains arrived at Tindley Temple United Methodist Church, his body was face down and a leg hung out of the casket, Wearing said. The casket was quickly removed from view.

"We never got a chance to see nothing," Wearing said. "We never got a chance to say goodbye."

Both families said they plan to pursue legal action against the funeral homes. Claire Beverly said she spoke with a lawyer Tuesday and plans to go forward.

Francis said the bodies were misidentified, but denied that Roberts' body was hanging out of the casket.

"It was a mistake, but there was nobody hanging out of the casket," he said Thursday. "I don't know anything about all the cockamamy stuff that's being said."

Francis declined further comment Thursday.

The Pennsylvania Department of State would not confirm or deny whether it had launched an investigation into the matter, said spokesman Charlie Young.

The state licenses funeral directors and investigates complaints that funeral officials have acted in a manner that is "unethical, immoral, below an acceptable standard of practice, or out of the scope of the profession."

Investigations can take several weeks or months, and may lead to fines, suspension or revocation of licenses, and civil charges, Young said.

The license for the Francis Funeral Home is also up to date, Young said.

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