Infant's Body Found in Crematory Owners' Home, Maryland Parents Say
Maryland Parents Devastated After Infant’s Body Found In Crematory Owners’ Home
A Maryland couple is demanding answers and justice after discovering the body of their 2-month-old son, originally believed to have been cremated, was found inside the home of the crematory operators, not the facility itself.
Laquanda Brown and Chris Parham, the grieving parents of baby Coi’seir Parham, were horrified to learn that their son’s remains had not been properly handled. “We’re like … why was he in their home?” Brown told WTTG, her voice shaking through tears. “What were they doing?”
Law & Crime reports that the couple is suing Heaven Bound Crematory in Charles County, its operators Rosa Turner and Brandon Williams, and Stewart Funeral Services for $10 million, alleging a botched cremation and egregious mishandling of remains. Their attorney, Sara Aguiniga, said in a statement: “Laquanda Brown and Christopher Parham have discovered that the body of their infant son was kept in the home of the owners of the Heaven Bound crematorium. They are, understandably, undergoing new trauma.”
Coi’seir died in October. His parents say they were initially given the wrong ashes and only found out about the failed cremation in February. Just two weeks ago, they were told the body had been discovered inside the home of Turner and Williams, not at the crematory.
“It’s like a bandage being pulled off a fresh wound,” said Parham. “They called and said his ashes were ready to be picked up, but how do we even know it’s still him?”
The Maryland State Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors had already sanctioned Heaven Bound for numerous violations, including storing human remains in cardboard boxes and failing to keep them at proper temperatures. A March 2024 inspection found bodies in torn body bags, blood on refrigeration units, and bodily fluids on the floor. Turner and Williams have since had their credentials revoked.
“This was a robbery of peace for us,” Parham added. “Nightmares, and being afraid to even go to sleep.”
“This kind of disregard for human dignity is unthinkable,” Aguiniga said. “Heaven Bound and Stewart Funeral Services took advantage of families during the most vulnerable time in their lives.”
Police have launched a criminal investigation. Heaven Bound has not yet commented.
Maryland Parents Devastated After Infant’s Body Found In Crematory Owners’ Home was originally published on wolbbaltimore.com
