DENVER - A funeral home has been closed, at least temporarily, while the state investigates how the bodies of two women got confused during a service, according to several news sources.
Chris Lines, a spokesman for the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, said Pipkin Mortuary in Denver was already in violation of a new state law requiring funeral homes to register, The Denver Post first reported. The law took effect Jan. 1.
The negative press started when the family of Imogene Jackson, 64, came to her service and realized that it was not Jackson in the casket.
"My wife called me and told me the body in the casket is not Mrs. Jackson," said Thomas Washington, a close family friend. "I said, 'Where is the body?' You know, they don’t know where the body is." The family said they spoke to the owner, Mark Pipkin, and were given several excuses about how the mix-up happened no Friday. It was discovered on Saturday morning that Jackson was mistakenly buried as Evelyn Jackson. Her body was later exhumed and her funeral was held Jan. 30.
Lines said the mortuary had to suspend operations by Feb. 1. Once the investigation is completed, Pipkin's application for registration will be reviewed.
The funeral home has apologized in writing to both Jackson families and said it was investigating the mix-up itself.
Posted Feb. 3