Anjelita and Cesar Reyes filed a lawsuit on Aug. 14 in Alameda County Superior Court alleging that funeral homes cremated their daughter Ayelli Havana Reyes against the parents' wishes and that another family received the wrong ashes. The complaint alleges at least one funeral home director had been promoted despite prior mismanagement of a cremation. The filing is the second lawsuit involving Holy Sepulchre Cemetery and Funeral Center and Irvington Memorial Cemetery, connected to Ayelli and another girl, Alaina Corona. The lawsuit alleges subterfuge and catastrophic emotional harm. Irvington disputes liability and intends to defend against the claims; Holy Sepulchre and the Diocese did not respond to requests for comment.
"No parent should have to endure the shock and heartbreak of learning that the cemetery that they entrusted with their baby's remains for cremation gave them someone else's ashes," said the attorney, Michael D. Goforth, adding that one of the funeral homes in particular "compounded my clients' grief in ways that words cannot capture."
In a statement announcing the lawsuit, an attorney for the parents blasted the funeral homes' "subterfuge," and the "catastrophic emotional harm" that followed.
"However, Irvington Memorial Cemetery disputes that it has any liability in this matter and intends to vigorously defend any claims against it," added Bobo, mirroring a response given after the first lawsuit.
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