A grieving couple in Pennsylvania has filed a lawsuit against two funeral homes after they received a box that allegedly contained their late son’s brain. The incident, which they say caused deep emotional trauma, has raised serious questions about funeral home procedures and respect for the dead.
What Happened to Their Son?
Abbey and Lawrence Butler’s 56-year-old son, Timothy Garlington, passed away on November 15, 2023, while living in Georgia. Since the family was in Pennsylvania, they used two funeral homes — Southern Cremations & Funerals in Marietta, Georgia, and Nix & Nix Funeral Home in Philadelphia — to handle the arrangements.
Everything appeared to be going as planned until the Butlers received a package from Nix & Nix Funeral Home. They were told it contained their son’s personal items. But what they found instead shocked and devastated them.
Discovery of the Box
According to the lawsuit filed in Philadelphia, Lawrence Butler opened a white box from Nix & Nix, which contained a smaller red box. They couldn’t open the red box at the time, but soon, they noticed it started leaking fluids and gave off a strong odor — a smell that Lawrence described as “the smell of death.”
Eventually, the Butlers learned that the box contained their son’s brain.
Lawrence emotionally shared during a press conference, “I had to get rid of that car. I just couldn’t bear the thought that his remains were in it.”
How Did the Brain Get Separated?
The family’s lawyer, L. Chris Stewart, said he spoke with several funeral homes and confirmed that it’s not normal for a person’s brain to be removed and shipped separately. He stated there is no common practice in the funeral industry where something like this should happen.
Stewart explained that the box wasn’t even listed on the official inventory of Timothy’s belongings. Yet it was sitting on the funeral manager’s desk when the Butlers came to collect their son’s effects.
The Box Was Taken Home Unknowingly
Not knowing what the red box contained, the Butlers brought it home along with other items. It remained in their car for days. Eventually, fluids started leaking from the box, and Lawrence brought it inside. That’s when he accidentally came into contact with what was later confirmed to be his son’s brain matter.
The couple was later informed by the Georgia funeral home that a “mistake had been made” and that the box should never have been sent to them.
Legal Action Against Funeral Homes
The Butlers are now suing both Southern Cremations & Funerals and Nix & Nix Funeral Home for negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. They are demanding both compensatory and punitive damages, citing “a complete lack of care, dignity and respect.”
Their lawyers say neither funeral home has offered an apology or explanation for how this traumatic mistake happened.
While a state board investigation reportedly cleared Nix & Nix of wrongdoing, the Butlers and their attorneys insist there has been no transparency and no accountability from either party involved.
This tragic incident has left the Butlers deeply traumatized as they continue to mourn the loss of their son. The emotional damage caused by receiving a box containing part of their son’s remains has raised concerns about oversight, professionalism, and compassion in the funeral industry.
Through their lawsuit, the Butlers are not only seeking justice but also hoping that no other family has to experience something so disturbing in the future.
