Hey Era.
I don't want to share too many details because it's private and it hurts, but my dad passed away last month.
I have a family member (with whom I don't have a close relationship with, haven't talked to him in many years besides this last year when I had to coordinate with him to care for my dad) doesn't seem to like me. I've known him since childhood to be a liar and legally sneaky, greedy person.
Well I live in another state, and he went and collected my dads body from hospice back in my home state with a couple of funeral home representatives. He refuses to tell me where my dads body is at because he seems to want to deny me and my sister a chance to hold any kind of service or memorial. The caregiver said they don't know where he took them and they're ignoring my calls too. My family member is ignoring my texts and has a busy schedule. It's been a month. He said he plans to repatriate the body to his home country against our wishes and not give us a chance to interfere.
I called over 30 funeral homes in the county. None of them have him. I called and spoke with 3 lawyers and they said they couldn't do anything to stop him, unless I want to pay legal fees and open probate with the will, which will take months to sort out anyway. They said police probably wouldnt do anything to help me. 2 attorneys told me to not even bother with police. The county reports no probate has been opened yet. No county coroner has him. No death certificate has been made. I have no proof or record my dad died and I can't mourn him while I'm angry at my family member that he's probably in a freezer somewhere without anybody knowing where he is.
does anybody here have any ideas on what else I should try to find my dad? My family member has no legal right to solely claim my dads body like he is doing but the system doesn't seem set up to solve these kinds of family disputes easily. I normally don't post personal stuff like this here because people are vicious and voracious for personal details but I'm running out of ideas.
im trying to get info from the hospice company but they are ignoring my calls.
update:
Update: I was finally able to obtain a death certificate (after the county tipped me on a special city phone number I could call), which listed the funeral home on it. Apparently he has been cremated already by my family member's direction.
I called them today and they said my family member had instructed them to not give any information to anyone but him. So they won't tell me if my dad is still there or not, and where/when he is being sent if not, which is what I want to know.
Does anyone know how I can get the funeral home to comply with me? Surely I have equal claim to the body as my family member. I have my birth certificate with my dads name on it, a medical power of attorney he signed for me last year, and a will where I am the executor.
I don't want to share too many details because it's private and it hurts, but my dad passed away last month.
I have a family member (with whom I don't have a close relationship with, haven't talked to him in many years besides this last year when I had to coordinate with him to care for my dad) doesn't seem to like me. I've known him since childhood to be a liar and legally sneaky, greedy person.
Well I live in another state, and he went and collected my dads body from hospice back in my home state with a couple of funeral home representatives. He refuses to tell me where my dads body is at because he seems to want to deny me and my sister a chance to hold any kind of service or memorial. The caregiver said they don't know where he took them and they're ignoring my calls too. My family member is ignoring my texts and has a busy schedule. It's been a month. He said he plans to repatriate the body to his home country against our wishes and not give us a chance to interfere.
I called over 30 funeral homes in the county. None of them have him. I called and spoke with 3 lawyers and they said they couldn't do anything to stop him, unless I want to pay legal fees and open probate with the will, which will take months to sort out anyway. They said police probably wouldnt do anything to help me. 2 attorneys told me to not even bother with police. The county reports no probate has been opened yet. No county coroner has him. No death certificate has been made. I have no proof or record my dad died and I can't mourn him while I'm angry at my family member that he's probably in a freezer somewhere without anybody knowing where he is.
does anybody here have any ideas on what else I should try to find my dad? My family member has no legal right to solely claim my dads body like he is doing but the system doesn't seem set up to solve these kinds of family disputes easily. I normally don't post personal stuff like this here because people are vicious and voracious for personal details but I'm running out of ideas.
im trying to get info from the hospice company but they are ignoring my calls.
update:
Update: I was finally able to obtain a death certificate (after the county tipped me on a special city phone number I could call), which listed the funeral home on it. Apparently he has been cremated already by my family member's direction.
I called them today and they said my family member had instructed them to not give any information to anyone but him. So they won't tell me if my dad is still there or not, and where/when he is being sent if not, which is what I want to know.
Does anyone know how I can get the funeral home to comply with me? Surely I have equal claim to the body as my family member. I have my birth certificate with my dads name on it, a medical power of attorney he signed for me last year, and a will where I am the executor.
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