Household’s ‘Shock and Horror’ After Son’s Physique at Funeral Infested with ‘Transferring and Seen Maggots’: Swimsuit

A lawsuit filed by a mom in Chesapeake, Virginia reveals some disturbing allegations in opposition to the funeral dwelling that dealt with the service for her son, who had handed away on Might 2, 2022 from a automotive accident on the age of 24 years outdated.

Seven days after his demise, Terreon Williams’ household got here collectively at Snelling Funeral Dwelling to mourn his passing, and had been as a substitute so impacted by what they skilled that they retained a lawyer and have now filed swimsuit.

In line with the swimsuit obtained by NBC affiliate WAVY, Terreon’s mom Tabitha Worrell and the household made a $3,000 down fee to the funeral dwelling to deal with the preparations and scheduled a viewing and repair.

“As mourners approached the physique of Torreon Williams, these individuals seen that Torreon Williams’ physique, notably his face, nostril and mouth, had been lined with and consumed by clumps of maggots,” the lawsuit particulars of what occurred on Might 9, 2022.

Tabitha, “her household, and mates skilled shock and horror on the grotesque show of the physique of Torreon Williams,” reads the lawsuit.

“They supplied this household with a grotesque freak present,” the household’s legal professional Kevin Sharp advised WAVY. “Maggots pouring out of this younger man’s nostril. Maggots in his mouth, and on his face.”

“I simply keep in mind my sister screaming,” Tabitha’s sister Tiffany Barnhart advised the outlet.

And he or she additionally remembers how the workers allegedly responded, with Tabitha saying she noticed one feminine staffer “putting her hand on her, telling her to not make a scene.”

The way in which the lawsuit describes the purported encounter, the worker positioned her fingers on Tabitha and advised her, “Do not you make a scene.” One other worker allegedly mentioned the “flies acquired to him.”

“She was mortified by the best way they reacted,” Tiffany advised WAVY. “They nearly appeared to say, ‘You don’t overreact right here.’ You’re the one guilty, not what they’d carried out to her son.”

In line with the lawsuit, the maggots had been on Terreon’s physique for a while and “had been purposely ignored” by staff of the funeral dwelling. The swimsuit claims they’d “burrowed into holes in his cheek and moth that had not existed beforehand.”

Tabitha is claiming within the swimsuit that the funeral dwelling didn’t “adequately put together, protect and examine” her son’s physique earlier than the general public viewing. Additionally they consider that Snelling didn’t retailer the physique in a sealed refrigeration setting, and it was thus uncovered to components.

WAVY requested Sharp how he believes this might have occurred. Whereas he says the reality will seemingly come out at trial, he provided his ideas. “How this occurred,” he mentioned. “They obtained his physique, and they didn’t correctly clear and disinfect his physique, after which he went by way of the embalming course of. That was improper.”

When reached for remark by WAVY, Hollomon-Brown Funeral Dwelling, Inc./Snellings Funeral Dwelling, Inc. CEO Casey Jones shared the next assertion: “The surprising passing of Torreon Williams is tragic, and we lengthen our honest condolences to his household. Nonetheless, as a result of the occasions following his demise are the topic of ongoing litigation, we don’t consider it’s acceptable to remark publicly presently.”

The household’s lawsuit additionally claims that in some methods, the household feels as if they’ve misplaced the Tabitha they knew from earlier than this incident, claiming she now suffers “nightmares, trauma, sleeplessness, flashback, nervousness, despair, nausea, humiliation, embarrassment, grief and horror that’s vital and completely impacts all of her actions.”

Tabitha, who’s listed as plaintiff, is searching for $5,000,000, in addition to prices and costs and all different reduction deemed truthful. The lawsuit states that she continues to incur bills associated to her ongoing “psychological remedy and care.”

The case is about for Chesapeake Circuit Court docket’s civil division on July 28 at 8:45 a.m. The courtroom is anticipating a three-day jury trial.