Funeral Horror: Family Finds Stranger in Casket, Takes Over an Hour to Find Real Body

The family of a 44-year-old California man is suing a funeral home after what they describe as a horrifying mistake during his memorial service.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday, Oct. 16, at Los Angeles County Superior Court, the wife, aunt, and uncle of Joseph Espinoza accused Forest Lawn of negligence, breach of contract, and infliction of emotional distress after they say the funeral home presented them with the wrong body at his viewing.

“They didn’t know where my nephew’s body was,” Espinoza’s aunt, Laura Levario, told KCBS.

According to the complaint, Espinoza’s family walked into the viewing room at Forest Lawn-Covina Hills expecting to say their final goodbyes. Instead, they were “shocked” to find a stranger in the casket.

“This created chaos for the Plaintiffs and their family members in this case as there was heightened confusion about where the decedent was, why there was this mistake, and why there were two viewings scheduled at the same time,” the complaint alleged.

Funeral staff reportedly told the family there had been a mix-up with the viewing schedule. Finding Espinoza’s body took more than an hour, according to his aunt. During the confusion, his uncle, George Levario, suffered a heart attack from the shock and stress.

“[My wife] told me I collapsed,” George told KCBS. “I woke up three days later in the hospital, on life support. It’s the worst experience we’ve ever had.”

The lawsuit claims the family endured “immense mental suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, inconvenience, grief, anxiety, humiliation, and emotional distress.” They are demanding a jury trial and seeking damages.

Forest Lawn declined to comment on the pending litigation, KCBS reported.

Elvis Tran, the family’s attorney, told PEOPLE the lawsuit is meant to hold the funeral home accountable. “Families deserve dignity and respect in their time of loss,” Tran said. “These lawsuits are the only way to ensure these errors do not happen to another family.”

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