A lawsuit was filed in Palm Beach County alleging that Service Corporation International (SCI) and its Star of David Memorial Gardens Cemetery & Funeral Chapel and Bailey Memorial Gardens engaged in “morally despicable, fraudulent, unlawful and unfair business practices” at the cemetery. The allegations include “a pervasive and continuing practice of breaking and disturbing outer burial containers to make room for new internments;” “crushing” them to make room for a new body in the same grave space; burying persons in the wrong graves; secretly digging up and moving human remains; improperly dumping materials, “including possibly human remains,” in a public lake next to the cemetery; and losing human remains. It is believed that more than 1,000 graves may have been affected. The lawsuit seeks $200 million in damages.
Ten years ago similar allegations were made against SCI’s Menorah Gardens cemeteries in Southwest Ranches and West Palm Beach. News stories told of cemetery workers smashing burial vaults to make room for more bodies, mixing body parts from different persons, digging up remains and reburying them in other locations, and breaking open a burial vault and dumping the remains in the woods. Charlip Law Group, LC represented Plaintiffs in that lawsuit and was successful in reaching settlements for its clients.
Charlip Law Group, LC specializes in mortuary litigation and has litigated cases all over the country, including, Bayview Crematorium in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine; Menorah Gardens in Florida; Burr Oak Cemetery in Illinois.
If you or your loved one would like additional information about the allegations against Service Corporation International, please call Charlip Law Group, LC 305-354-9313.
