Watch CBS News

Family says stranger's body was in mother's casket wearing her clothes at funeral home

A North Carolina funeral home said it has reached out to apologize after two sisters who went to view their mother's body instead found another woman wearing her clothes inside the casket.

Jennifer Taylor and Jennetta Archer had gone to see their mother's body at an Ahoskie funeral home Sept. 7 when they discovered the mistake, WAVY-TV reported.

Archer said there was no resemblance between their mother and the woman who was in the casket.

"There's no similarity in the person. Their size was way off. When the first person had the clothing on, she was swimming in the clothes because she was so small compared to my mother," Archer told the station.

The sisters approached workers at Hunter's Funeral Home, who at first denied the woman was someone else until they went back into the embalming room and saw the body of Mary Archer. The funeral home switched the bodies and the service continued.

"For this to play out like that, it's just embarrassing," Taylor told the station.

The funeral home said it has reached out to the family to apologize, but Taylor and Archer said they have not received a call from the funeral home and are awaiting answers to their questions. An official was not immediately available for additional comment Thursday.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.