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A Baltimore woman has filed a lawsuit against a funeral home after she says that an urn supposedly contained her husband's ashes was empty, and that his body had been already been buried days earlier thanks to another woman claiming to be his wife.
Demetra Street had no idea that at the funeral for her husband Ivan that took place in January, the urn that was supposed to have contained Ivan's ashes was empty and that the funeral home knowingly tried to cover up their gaffe.
Demetra signed a contract with Wylie Funeral Homes, paid them, and scheduled a memorial service at the establishment. But around that same time, another woman came to Wylie, claiming to be Ivan's wife, and wanted to make her own funeral arrangements. According to a court document, this woman provided a fake marriage certificate and then arranged to have Ivan buried.
Demetra filed a federal lawsuit against Wylie after uncovering what had happened, claiming they had committed fraud and collected fees for two funerals for the same person. The lawsuit alleges Wylie followed the instructions of the second woman without verifying her story.
Even after Ivan had been buried, Wylie conducted a "sham" cremation service and kept her money without telling Demetra what really happened to Ivan's remains.
Demetra is seeking $8.5M in damages after the ordeal left her depressed, causing her to start taking an anti-depressant prescription drug.
Wylie Funeral Homes President Brandon Wylie denies the claims made by Demetra but did not comment any further.