Richard Lee received a call from a deacon at Mt. Olive Baptist Church as Houston recoiled from devastating floods; he was calling to tell Lee that the casket of his late wife, who died in 2007, resurfaced during the floods. Her coffin had somehow been unearthed and floated about 100 yards away, but Lee said it was impossible.
But despite Lee burying his wife in a concrete vault, his long drive through flooded freeways to the Riceville Cemetery confirmed that her casket did in fact float away.
The burial of Lee’s wife, Carolyn Lee, had cost him $11,000. He couldn’t imagine how the casket had gotten out of the concrete vault, especially since the burial vault was shut. He’s suing the Robinson Funeral Home for negligence in the burial process.
An inspection concluded that the vault lacked the correct holes to let water pass in and out during a flood. The vault had also been inadequately sealed. In addition to negligence, the lawsuit also alleges mental anguish related to the incident.
Lee will not need to pay for a reburial as The Geo. H. Lewis and Sons Funeral Home have volunteered to donate a casket, burial and vault for no charge.
Source: Chron.com, “Man sues after wife’s coffin resurfaces during floods,” by Dylan Baddour, June 1, 2015