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Parents Were Given Their Deceased Son's Brain by Funeral Homes, Lawsuit Alleges

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, JUL 25 – The Butlers allege negligence and emotional distress after funeral homes in two states mistakenly sent their deceased son's brain, a claim supported by ongoing legal action.

  • On Thursday, July 24 at 1 p.m., Lawrence and Abbey Butler filed a lawsuit accusing funeral homes of negligence and emotional distress at Wapner Newman law offices in Center City.
  • After Timothy Garlington died on Nov. 15, 2023, his body was transported on Nov. 20, 2023 by Southern Cremations & Funerals to Nix & Nix, following the family’s hiring of both homes to manage his affairs.
  • Receiving an unmarked white box, it began to smell and leak fluid in the Butlers’ car, revealing their son’s brain and brain matter.
  • The lawsuit alleges negligence and emotional distress, Lawrence Butler said `I smelled death`, and the incident is called `extreme and outrageous`, seeking compensatory and punitive damages.
  • Why Garlington’s brain was removed and placed in a box remains unknown, L. Chris Stewart said, despite the state board clearing the funeral homes.
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Parents were given their deceased son's brain by funeral homes, lawsuit alleges

Two funeral homes allegedly gave grieving parents their deceased son's brain in a box, which began to smell and leak.

·United States
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NBC News broke the news in United States on Thursday, July 24, 2025.
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