Sisters say they feel ‘violated’ after burying a stranger’s remains

On Cherry Crescent in Springdale, there's a small plot in a quiet graveyard. A year ago, about 10 family and friends of Terry Croucher gathered here to bury his ashes. The service was intimate, heartfelt, and short. But there was one problem. The family didn't know they were burying a complete stranger. I don't want this to ever happen to another family. Absolutely not. Ever. Like how this could have happened is beyond me. This day and age especially. Terry was living with his sister Tina in St. John's when he died of leukemia. He wanted to be laid to rest with his parents back home in Springdale. Tina called Carnell's Funeral Home to make the arrangements. Nearly two weeks after the graveside service, Tina Croucher got unexpected news. I got a phone call from Carnell's telling me that my brother's urn was ready. And I was like, what do you mean? We had the urn, like he was, we got him buried, like we buried him. She hung up, confused. Two days later, another call. He said, just called to let you know we gave you the wrong remains. And I went in shock, like you would, I mean. And I said, what do you mean the wrong remains? And he said, we gave you. The Croucher said it was important for the family to be there when the correct remains were interred, but that didn't happen. The following day, I get another phone call. Less than 24 hours later, I get a phone call from the owner of Carnell's, one of the owners, and he started off with, just wanted to let you know everything is done and taken care of. And I said, what do you mean? And he said, we went out this morning and exhumed the other remains and buried your brother. The Embalmers and Funeral Directors Board of Newfoundland and Labrador is the body that handles complaints around these matters. They would not do an interview. In a letter to the Crouchers, the board said there was a breach of their code of ethics and rules of professional conduct. The letter acknowledged that Carnells issued a full refund to the Crouchers and has determined that a formal written reprimand for the funeral home is appropriate. Carnell's funeral home would not do an interview. In a prepared statement, they apologized to the Croucher family and said the error resulted from a failure to follow identification and verification procedures. It noted that once the error was discovered, they took immediate steps to correct the situation, reviewed and strengthened those procedures, and took the appropriate action internally. They also take full responsibility for what happened. We deeply regret what occurred and remain committed to providing families with the highest standards of compassion, professionalism, and care. I was furious. I was hurt, of course, but I was more mad than anything. Very violent. Very violent. There was no respect to our family and especially no respect to our brother. At all. The Croucher sisters hope that by sharing the story of what happened to their brother, it will prevent future incidents such as these, and that other families do not have to deal with similar circumstances when grieving a loved one. Troy Turner, CBC News, Springdale.