Sacramento funeral home sued for mishandling remains of deceased man
(FOX40.COM) — A Sacramento funeral home is being accused of losing the remains of an El Salvadoran man who lived and died in the United States.
According to a statement from the Marcereau Law Group, Francisco Quintanilla passed away in Sacramento on Nov. 7, 2024, after he fell ill.
Marcereau Law Group said that a lawsuit has been filed in the California State Court against the funeral home and its owner, Linda Rolon.
A spokesperson from Marcereau Law Group said the funeral home is being accused of first shipping to the Quintanilla family the wrong body, losing the body for two weeks, and then shipping his remains to El Salvador in a 'horrifying' state of decomposition.
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According to the Marcereau Law Group statement, the lawsuit said, 'The family awaited news about Francisco's remains. Finally – two weeks later – La Paz found Francisco and shipped his remains to El Salvador.'
When the casket arrived at the family's house, they were shocked and horrified by what they saw in the casket.
'Francisco's body was in a shocking state of decomposition. His skin had turned purple and was shriveled, his body was leaking fluids that soaked his clothing, and a horrible smell was emitting from the casket. The body had not been properly embalmed and had been left unrefrigerated for a prolonged period,' said Marcereau Law Group in a statement.
'Our family planned to have an open casket service and to honor Francisco and say goodbye in El Salvadoran tradition. What happened instead was shocking and heartbreaking,' said Maria who is Francisco's widow and wife of 50-plus years. 'Our final memory of Francisco is one we wish we could forget.'
Rob Marcereau who is the the family's attorney, said: 'Francisco's life was one of resilience and devotion. He deserved a dignified farewell, yet La Paz completely failed in their promise to treat him and his family with care and respect. This grieving family deserved better. They put their trust in La Paz and Ms. Rolon in their most vulnerable moment, and that trust was betrayed.'
Quintanilla had a lifetime of hard work as an agricultural tradesman, beekeeper, and driver. He obtained his permanent residency in 2004 and he returned home to El Salvador frequently for two to three months at a time, said Marcereau Law Group.
Quintanilla suffered a stroke in 2016 and with his health declining, his last visit to El Salvador was in 2018. Since then, his family has remained in contact through video conference calls, said a spokesperson from Marcereau Law Group.
He is survived by Maria, two of his daughters Ida and Dina, and a son Francisoco, Jr.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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