Family Receives Wrong Ashes In Cremation Mix-up, Police Still Investigating

Maryland investigators are trying to figure out how there was a mix-up of cremated human remains given to the wrong families. Maryland's State Police launched an investigation after they learned that someone had been given ashes that didn’t belong to them, WTTG, a Fox affiliate in Washington, D.C., reported Tuesday.

Marc Inman received a call from police in January saying that the cremated remains of his cousin Lawanda Williams, who died of a heart attack in 2016, had been confused with another person's ashes. The identification tags inside the remains provided police with the information needed to make the swap.

However, the investigation was still open and police were working to determine whose remains Inman had first. It was not clear who the police had targeted in their case.

"It was devastating," Inman told WTTG. "Because prior to receiving the call, we were actually scheduled to go out of town to spread the ashes."

Inman had his cousin cremated at Chambers Crematorium in Riverdale, Maryland. Based on state records obtained by WTTG, the crematorium had its license temporality revoked, then reinstated in 2010 for a violation involving improperly stored body bags and unorganized identification tags.

Inman said he and his family used Shaun Reid Funeral Services for his cousin’s funeral. Reid's lawyer, who wasn't identified, released a statement obtained by WTTG, stating that the funeral home was not responsible for the incident.

"Mr. Reid has not been contacted by the Maryland State Police, so he has no reason to believe the Reid Funeral Home is under investigation," Reid’s attorney said. "When Mr. Reid receives remains from the crematorium, the identity of the decedent is provided by the crematorium. Mr. Reid ensures that the remains are then provided to the appropriate family. He has no reason to believe that any mix-up is the result of any action undertaken at his funeral home."