Imagine being in the most vulnerable moment of your life, grieving the loss of a loved one, only to be hit with a nightmare you could have never anticipated. That’s exactly what happened to the Jenkins family of New Jersey, who now find themselves entangled in a lawsuit against Boyd Funeral Home in Camden. The family alleges that their loved one, 81-year-old Addison Jenkins, was treated with shocking negligence after his death.
It all started in February 2023, after Addison passed away. Before his death, Jenkins had arranged for Boyd Funeral Home to handle his final arrangements, including his cremation.
His widow, like many grieving spouses, prepared by delivering her late husband’s clothes to the funeral home in anticipation of the ceremony. What she couldn’t have known was that this seemingly simple act would set the stage for a bewildering turn of events.
When the family arrived at the funeral home for a private viewing ahead of the public ceremony, they expected to see their beloved Addison one last time. But something wasn’t right. As they approached the casket, the sight that greeted them sent shockwaves through the family.
Instead of Addison, they found a different body lying there, dressed in Jenkins’ clothes. Shock, confusion, and heartache hit the family like a tidal wave, and their distress was only made worse when a funeral home employee—rather than the funeral director—attempted to explain the situation.
The family was told, via text message, that the body in the casket was indeed Jenkins. However, the family immediately knew this was not the case. They pointed out distinct physical differences: Jenkins had a cauliflower ear, something the other body clearly did not.
Moreover, Addison had an infection on his feet that the corpse in the casket did not bear. To add insult to injury, the funeral home staff allegedly tried to assure the family that makeup had altered the body’s appearance, leading to more confusion.
Days later, on the day of the public viewing, the situation took another bizarre twist. The casket was reopened at the family’s insistence, and—shockingly—this time, it was Addison’s body that lay inside. The Jenkins family, however, wasn’t able to shake the emotional trauma caused by this staggering mishandling.
Now, they are suing Boyd Funeral Home, accusing the business of negligence and emotional distress. Their lawsuit claims that the funeral home failed to use the professional skills expected in the industry, leading to unnecessary and ongoing anguish for the family.
Their attorney, Michael Shaw, did not hold back, calling the entire situation “disturbing and reprehensible.” He added that the funeral home’s attempts to gaslight the family by insisting the wrong body was their loved one showed a complete lack of empathy.
