Man accidentally cremated before funeral, family says

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WJXT) - Members of a Florida family say they want answers after their loved one was accidentally cremated before his funeral took place.

Kevin Witherspoon, described as a father, barber and jokester, died unexpectedly last week.

His brother, Frank Chapman, made arrangements with Corey-Kerlin Funeral Home in the Jacksonville area to lay him to rest.

“They took care of my mom really good so I was expecting them to do the same thing with my brother,” Chapman says.

His family paid more than $2,000 for an hourlong visitation for family and friends.

Witherspoon was supposed to be cremated after the visitation.

Instead, the family ended up with more grief.

“I went down there yesterday to check on the clothes for him and they didn’t say nothing. They said everything was fine, but later on around 4 p.m. they called me and told me they accidentally cremated him,” Chapman says.

The news was extremely shocking for loved ones who traveled from all around the country to say goodbye.

“Wow, not getting the chance to have this final session with him, not being able to sit there and look at him, you know, and see with my own two eyes, my brother-in law,” Ronald Jackson described when asked about what has been most painful.

The director of the funeral home did not initially have a comment on what happened.

“I’d just like for them to be responsible for this and to be more careful for the next time for any other families who may be going through the same thing we’re going through,” Chapman added.

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