Family claims mother’s remains leaked from coffin at Houston mausoleum

HOUSTON – Tina Evans wanted to share her story with KPRC 2 Investigates not so much to give Houstonians sympathy for her family, but because she wants families to take her story as a warning.

“I’m not looking for anyone to pity. I don’t want pity from anyone. I just want everyone to be sure that the funeral is properly wrapped when they bury their parents,” Evans said.

This advice is the result of the struggle she and her family have endured over the past year.

“What should have been a final goodbye turned into a lifelong nightmare,” said veteran attorney for the plaintiffs, Ben Hall.

The Evans family filed a lawsuit against Forest Park Lawndale in southeast Houston, as well as the coffin company that supplied the coffin for their mother.

“The coffin is leaking,” Evans said, referring to what she told cemetery officials.

Evans claims that her mother’s coffin was never properly wrapped.

“No one would have guessed that it was her remains that were leaking,” Evans said.

Her mother passed away almost 10 years ago and her father passed away last year.

It was when they visited the family mausoleum and were preparing to bury their father that they noticed visible stains around their mother’s final resting place.

The family says they have informed cemetery officials about the discoloration and stains.

“They said it could be a water or oil leak, and then when they went in and opened it, they realized it was her remains,” Evans said.

Cemetery workers in hazmat suits moved the remains of Evans’ mother to another temporary location.

A proper decision has not yet been made, so a lawsuit has been filed, which Forest Park does not comment on. A spokesperson told KPRC 2 Investigates that this is out of respect for Evan’s family and the pending litigation.

According to their lawyer, conversations between the two parties revealed the position of the cemetery.

“The cemetery has taken a position, we had to move the bodies to another mausoleum, which costs us money by taking away our space. Our position is that this is your fault,” Hall said.

A message for Evans and her family?

“You should never bury your mother and your father and then dig them up again,” Evans said.