A lawsuit has been filed against Davis Funeral Homes & Memorial Park by the family of Loren Chavez, a 41-year-old woman who was a victim of a murder-suicide incident in Las Vegas. The legal action comes after an alleged oversight by the funeral home led to Chavez’s unintended cremation.
Chavez’s death occurred last September, when her husband shot her and then killed himself, and her family had chosen Davis Funeral Homes & Memorial Park for her final rites. They had intended for an open-casket service, followed by a burial in a nearby cemetery.
The situation took a turn when Chavez’s parents, while delivering her funeral clothing, were informed that her details were missing from the funeral home’s computer system. A subsequent communication from the funeral home cited an “emergency.” The family was then made aware of Chavez’s accidental cremation due to an employee’s mistake.
The family’s legal representative, Christian Morris, labeled the incident as a significant oversight, pointing out the failure to follow the funeral home’s procedures that differentiate between bodies set for burial and those for cremation.
The lawsuit alleges that the funeral home’s staff were negligent in their duties, resulting in considerable emotional turmoil for Chavez’s family. Her son has even pursued counseling to deal with the emotional repercussions.
The family is demanding financial compensation that exceeds $15,000, emphasizing the breach of trust they say they endured. Chavez’s sister, Delia Salcido, conveyed the family’s anguish over the lost chance for a proper burial.
Davis Funeral Homes and Memorial Park’s general manager, Mike Wilfong, affirmed his commitment to addressing the issue.