LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) – A family has reportedly filed a lawsuit against a funeral care facility in Jacksonville that recently lost its license after allegations of multiple infractions.
According to a news release sent to THV11 by Cook Law Firm, the family of a man, Kenny Alton Smith, whose services were being arranged by the facility, is claiming negligence by Arkansas Funeral Care and owner LeRoy Wood.
"To have the family relive those events and to have to tell you those events are heart-wrenching to hear," said attorney Hal Cook, who is representing the family of Kenny Smith.
The release reads, "As a result of the negligence and breach of contract by Arkansas Funeral Care following Mr. Smith's death on October 30, 2014, the Plaintiffs have suffered extreme emotional distress and mental anguish based upon the outrageous behavior of the Defendants' funeral and interment services."
The funeral home is being investigated for what one former employee called "complete disregard for the dead." According to the complaint filed, bodies at Arkansas Funeral Care were allegedly "stacked on top of each other outside the cooler." He also alleged other infractions, including blood on the walls and lacking facilities.
The Cook law firm says they have gotten multiple calls inquiring about legal action against the funeral home, but are only pursuing the one filed Monday.
The Arkansas Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors met in Little Rock last week, and unanimously voted to suspend the licenses of both the owner and the business. Additionally, the owner must pay fines totaling $10,000.
The law firm would not detail how much money the suit could cost the funeral home, but says compensation is not the family's primary concern, closure is.
"The family- I spent four hours with them Saturday evening. Not one time did the issue of monetary damages come up," Cook added.
Multiple attempts to reach out to Wood for comment on Monday were unsuccessful.
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