‘We must’ve cremated her’: Detroit family opens mom’s casket. Creepy enough, they see a stranger wearing their mom’s dress and makeup

Members of a Detroit family said they went to see their mother before her funeral and instead found another woman in the casket. The children of Kimberlly Kaye Moore told local media that the person they saw had been dressed in their mother’s clothing and prepared with her hair and makeup.

According to WXYZ, Byron Moore said, “It’s a lady in there with our mother’s dress on, and her hair on, and her makeup – and it’s not our mother.” Family members said they had arranged a viewing and funeral for Friday, Sept. 18, and planned to have her cremated afterward.

Bianca Robinson said she intended to put her mom’s “nails and her lashes on”. But she realized something was wrong once a mortuary employee unzipped the body bag.

Funeral home staff told the family a missing toe tag may have caused the mix-up

Robinson said she checked the toe and did not see the mole she expected. She recalled telling the worker, “This is not my mama, sir.”

She said the worker answered, “I’m so sorry. Your mom must have been cremated when she first got here because it was two ladies that was here that came in when your mom came.” Robinson said the worker then stated, “We must’ve cremated her.”

Robinson said employees told her they thought the toe tag had gotten wet and fallen off, which may have led to one body being confused with another. The family later identified the business as Hutchison Funeral Home in Detroit, according to ClickOnDetroit.

WXYZ reported that Detroit police were called to keep the peace after Kimberlly’s relatives protested at the scene. Robinson told the outlet, “We don’t have a viewing. What do we have? We don’t even have her ashes.”

Joseph Hutchison Jr., vice president of operations at Hutchison Funeral Home, told WXYZ that the business was investigating. Such heartbreaking mix-ups in final arrangements are not isolated, as a woman in South Carolina was told her father was dead and another family was living in his home.  

In a separate statement to ClickOnDetroit, the funeral home said, “We are heartbroken and deeply sorry for what Ms. Moore’s family has experienced.”

The funeral home also said, “We are aware of the family’s concerns and we will continue to communicate with them honestly and respectfully.” The funeral home’s internal review comes as shocking discoveries involving deceased loved ones have been reported elsewhere, such as when an Alaska family found human remains in a chest freezer.  

It continued, “We have launched our own internal review to determine exactly what happened and we will deal with it accordingly. Out of respect for Ms. Moore and her family, we ask that their privacy be honored during this time. We will share more when we can.”