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Sad! Parents sue funeral home after receiving son’s decaying brain in a box

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Two funeral homes allegedly gave grieving parents their deceased son’s brain in a box, which began to smell, leaked into their car and got on the father’s hands when he moved it, according to an updated lawsuit filed this week.

The father, Lawrence Butler, said the discovery was overwhelming at a news conference on Thursday, leaving a horrific memory that mars the other memories of a “good young man”, their son, Timothy Garlington.

“It was, and it is still, in my heart that I got in my car and I smelled death,” he said, emotion breaking his voice. Garlington’s mother, Abbey Butler, stood nearby, wiping away tears.

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After Garlington’s death in 2023, the Butlers had his remains shipped from one funeral home in Georgia, where their son died, to another where the family lived, in Pennsylvania, where they picked up his belongings, including a white cardboard box that contained an unlabeled red box.

At Nix & Nix Funeral Homes, Abbey Butler tried but could not open the red box, said the Butlers’ attorney, L Chris Stewart, at the news conference.

Several days later, the red box, which was in the Butlers’ car, began to smell and leak fluid, Stewart said. When Lawrence Butler picked it up, the fluid covered his hands, “which was brain matter. It’s insane,” Stewart said.

When they called the funeral home in Georgia, Southern Cremations & Funerals at Cheatham Hill, they were told it was Garlington’s brain and a mistake had been made, Stewart said. The Butlers returned the box to Nix & Nix, he said.

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The company that owns Southern Cremations, ASV Partners, declined to comment when contacted by the Associated Press.

“The parents’ last memory is holding their son’s brain,” said Stewart in an interview with the AP.

“I had to get rid of that car,” Lawrence Butler said, “I just couldn’t stand the idea that the remains were in that car.”

The lawsuit says that both funeral homes negligently mishandled human remains and intentionally, wantonly or recklessly inflicted emotional distress.

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Stewart said he had consulted other funeral homes, and that at no point in the process is the brain “separated from body in that fashion and shipped in that fashion”. If it ever is, he said, then it is in a sealed bag and labeled as a biohazard.

Whether or not Nix & Nix knew a brain was inside the box, Stewart alleged, they should not have handed the box over to the Butlers because it was not on the list of belongings sent from Southern Cremations.

Julian Nix, the manager of the eponymous funeral home, told the AP that “it was definitely not our fault” because Southern Cremations had sent them the unlabeled box. Nix told local news that his team believed the box held personal effects and that other funeral homes usually only send intact remains.

Nix said that once they learned what was inside the box, they reported it to authorities. An investigation had been done by the state board overseeing funeral homes that found Nix & Nix wasn’t responsible, he said, but the documents proving that were not yet available.

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The Butlers are seeking compensation and answers to what went wrong. They also hope the lawsuit acts as a warning so that similar incidents will not happen again.

“There’s no excuse, there is zero excuse for this type of error to happen. For the Georgia funeral home, Southern Cremations, to ship unmarked, bio-hazardous material. For the funeral home here in Philadelphia to hand the parents an unmarked box, not examined, not on a list of the inventory that was the personal items, to not check it,” said Stewart. “They have not received a single apology to this day from any funeral home.”

Garlington, a veteran of the US marines who was working in school financial aid in Atlanta, according to his LinkedIn, has since been buried in Washington Crossing national cemetery.

Stewart, who declined to say how Garlington died at age 56, said the Butlers still do not know whether his brain was buried with the rest of his remains.

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“They fear, which is totally understandable: is he resting in peace?” he said.

Source: The Guardian

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2027: Ogor visits IDU, Monarchs, declares intention to contest Delta South senatorial district

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The immediate younger brother of Hon. Leo Ogor, Barr. Jay Ogor has officially declared his intention to contest as Senator for Delta South senatorial district in the forthcoming 2027 general elections.

Barr Jay Ogor made this declaration during his official consultation visit to Isoko Development Union (IDU) leadership headed by Prof. Chris Akpotu and some Isoko traditional rulers at Chief Iduh Amadhe Hall, Oleh.

The consultation visit which occured on the 16th of April attracted a mammoth crowd of IDU delegates, Clan PGs, including women and youth groups, has been the single-ethnic consultation so far in his 2027campaign.

While addressing the leadership of the IDU and traditional rulers, Barr. Jay Ogor, restated the message he first delivered at the NUJ, Warri chapel, where he, Ogor emphatically noted that, the Delta South senatorial district was vacant due to poor representation.

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“As far as am concerned, the Delta South senatorial district is vacant” as he echoed his earlier declaration to the audience.

He noted that, his mission is rooted in inclusiveness and people driven-policy.

Barr. Jay Ogor observed that, one of the things millitating against the progress of Delta South senatorial district is lack of understanding and unity. He identify disunity as the greatest problem of the district.
“One of the major thing that bothers me most about Delta South is unity. We lack unity. We can not develop without unity”.

Barr. Jay Ogor, while speaking about the issues affecting Isoko Nation and entire Delta South senatorial district, he promised to adopt a different style of representation built on the tripod of accessibility and constant engagement with the people he represent.

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“I want to say that, in my first 30 — 60 days in office, I will hold town hall meetings with the Ijaws, the Itsekiris, the Urhobos and you, my Isoko people, so that everyone will understand the unique challenges, we all face ” Barr. Ogor while criticizing the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), he noted that the IOCs have taken advantage of it, while the Communities remains underdeveloped. ” I intend to correct this because I know how to go about it as a lawyer “.

On the issues of federal presence and empowerment, Barr. Jay Ogor promised to engage and attract federal presence to Delta South senatorial district with meaningful empowerment deals from federal agencies such as the ministry of women affairs, NELFUND, BOI, NNPC, NDDC, and many others for infrastructural development, especially in the areas of electricity distribution and noted that the current deficit in women and youths empowerment shall be redressed.
While still speaking, he used the medium to appeal to the media houses and traditional institutions to always as point of duty to vet aspirants first, noting that, if an aspirant does not have a good character, such aspirant should not be encouraged as he can not represent the collective interests and aspirations of the people.

The president -General of the Isoko Development Union World-wide, Prof. Chris Akpotu, while appreciating Barr. Jay Ogor consultation visit entourage for the recognition, he wished him success in his political journey, while reminding him and other aspirants that Isoko Nation expects more than promises, stressing that “actions are louder than words”.
Prof. Akpotu referenced the Union’s standing demand for greater involvement in “Oil and Gas” governance, infrastructure and resolution of Land disputes affecting the 19 Kingdoms —– from Uzere, Oleh, and OZORO to Irri, Ellu, Ofagbe, Okpe-Isoko, Emede, IGBIDE and others.

The Chairman of the Isoko traditional rulers council, HRM, (Barr.) Uvietobore Anthony Ogbogbo of OZORO Kingdom led other traditional rulers to pray for Barr. Jay Ogor, the prayer urged him to always remember home.

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INSULT! Boko Haram Faction Picks 68 Girls From Over 400 Captives For Distribution Among Fighters –Borno Group

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A faction of Boko Haram, officially known as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), has reportedly selected 68 women from a group of 416 abducted victims, with plans to distribute them among its members.

The alarming disclosure was made on Thursday by the President of the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), Samaila Ibrahim Kaigama, who told SaharaReporters that he was directly contacted by one of the insurgents detailing their next line of action amid what they described as government inaction.

According to Kaigama, the contact occurred around 8:00 PM on April 23, when individuals identifying themselves as members of JAS reached out regarding the abducted Ngoshe victims.

“During the communication, they claimed that they have selected 68 women out of the reported 416 captives and intend to distribute them among their members, similar to previous abduction cases,” Kaigama said.

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He added that the insurgents issued a threat, indicating that some of the captives could be harmed or killed based on their internal selection process.

The terrorists also indicated that between 50 and 60 individuals could be targeted for execution.

The development has heightened concerns over the fate of hundreds of women, children, and other vulnerable individuals still held by the insurgents in Borno State.

Kaigama described the situation as a grave humanitarian emergency, urging immediate intervention from Nigeria’s security architecture, including the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and military authorities.

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“Given the seriousness of these claims and the immediate danger to innocent lives, we strongly believe that all relevant security agencies should urgently become involved,” he said.

He called on authorities to deploy all lawful means to gather intelligence, verify the threats, and secure the safe release of the captives.

“This is beyond politics. This is a humanitarian emergency involving innocent citizens whose lives may depend on urgent intervention,” Kaigama stressed.

The BOSYA president reaffirmed the group’s commitment to advocating for the safe return of all abducted Southern Borno indigenes through lawful and peaceful means.

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As at Thursday at least 12 of the victims had reportedly escaped captivity following a military offensive on the insurgents’ hideout.

Out of the 416 abducted persons, 404 are still believed to be in captivity.

A community source from Pulka said the escapees, 10 men and two women, regained freedom amid the chaos triggered by the bombardment.

Kaigama also confirmed the development, noting that the victims escaped on Wednesday and were safe

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Ibadan declaration: Opposition standing on quick sand– Presidency

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The presidency has said that opposition political parties are standing on a quick sand while President Bola Tinubu is standing solidly on the rock of competence.

Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, stated this on Sunday in an interview on Arise Television.

The presidential spokesman, who was reacting to the Ibadan declaration by the opposition to field one presidential candidate, described the summit as a collection of recycled politicians.

He said they are people who have been ministers, governors, and political actors for years, stressing that a closer look at their recent performances, whether in executive or legislative roles, there is little evidence of fresh thinking.

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According to him, the individuals have nothing new to offer Nigerians.

He said, “They are free to field five, seven presidential candidates. But I said they’re standing on the sinking ground.

“That is the beauty of democracy. You have the opposition, you have individuals, political leaders decide on what they want to do.

“But that does not diminish the fact that there is a government in place that is functional, that has measured outcomes in what it has been doing. It does not take that away.”

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