03-05-2007, 12:44 PM
The family of Ronald Groves now wants answers as to why his body was so poorly handled.
"Nobody should have to go through this," Groves' widow, Charlene Groves said. "Nobody. This is the most inhumane thing I have ever seen in my life."
Charlene Groves is devastated about the flimsy, wet, damaged cardboard box that held her husband's body.
if Ronald Groves died Tuesday in Florida.
On Thursday, a Florida funeral home was supposed to take his embalmed, clothed body to the airport to be shipped in a wood-enforced box home to Kentucky for his funeral.
Charlene Groves paid $4,400 for those services.
"My husband was sent home in a paper cardboard box, not even sealed, with a nylon rope around it," she said.
Groves says when the Kentucky funeral director picked up her husband's body, Delta officials in Louisville were apologetic and shocked about the box's condition.
"They told the funeral home director that the Delta Airlines in Daytona Beach should have never accepted my husband's body in a cardboard box," Charlene Groves said.
27 NEWSFIRST contacted Delta to see if the claims were true. Officials say a cardboard box can be transported, but only if it's surrounded by another wooden tray covering, and secured with straps. The cardboard box Groves was transported in was not covered by a wooden tray.
A Delta Airlines spokeswoman says the company is going to get answers into how, why, and what exactly happened. She says they are currently investigating the situation, and are taking the matter very seriously. She says they will be assisting the family in their time of need, and are very sorry for their loss.
27 NEWSFIRST was not able to contact the Florida funeral home, which first handled Ronald Groves' body.
Ronald Groves was a decorated serviceman who served in the Vietnam War and several other military operations.
The family plans to have full military honors at his funeral.
"Nobody should have to go through this," Groves' widow, Charlene Groves said. "Nobody. This is the most inhumane thing I have ever seen in my life."
Charlene Groves is devastated about the flimsy, wet, damaged cardboard box that held her husband's body.
if Ronald Groves died Tuesday in Florida.
On Thursday, a Florida funeral home was supposed to take his embalmed, clothed body to the airport to be shipped in a wood-enforced box home to Kentucky for his funeral.
Charlene Groves paid $4,400 for those services.
"My husband was sent home in a paper cardboard box, not even sealed, with a nylon rope around it," she said.
Groves says when the Kentucky funeral director picked up her husband's body, Delta officials in Louisville were apologetic and shocked about the box's condition.
"They told the funeral home director that the Delta Airlines in Daytona Beach should have never accepted my husband's body in a cardboard box," Charlene Groves said.
27 NEWSFIRST contacted Delta to see if the claims were true. Officials say a cardboard box can be transported, but only if it's surrounded by another wooden tray covering, and secured with straps. The cardboard box Groves was transported in was not covered by a wooden tray.
A Delta Airlines spokeswoman says the company is going to get answers into how, why, and what exactly happened. She says they are currently investigating the situation, and are taking the matter very seriously. She says they will be assisting the family in their time of need, and are very sorry for their loss.
27 NEWSFIRST was not able to contact the Florida funeral home, which first handled Ronald Groves' body.
Ronald Groves was a decorated serviceman who served in the Vietnam War and several other military operations.
The family plans to have full military honors at his funeral.
