TYLA'S LAGOS CONCERT SPARKS INTENSE DEBATE AMID RENEWED XENOPHOBIA CONCERNS. (PHOTO).
The family of a 93-year-old woman is demanding answers from a Queens funeral home after alleging that their loved one was cremated despite her stated wish to be buried in her native Guyana.
Euvy Rodney, a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, died on July 8 and was brought to J. Foster Phillips Funeral Home in Jamaica, Queens, according to her family. Relatives said her death certificate documented her desire to be buried in Guyana alongside her grandmother.
However, the family alleges that Rodney was cremated without their consent, leaving them devastated and struggling to obtain her remains. They say they were forced to navigate a difficult process to recover her ashes.
“We have lost our mom twice. We have lost her in death, we have lost her body, we have no closure for our mother,” said Christine Weaver, one of Rodney’s 11 children. “For all she has done on earth, that’s how you treat her?”
Civil rights leader Rev. Kevin McCall joined Rodney’s family outside the funeral home Monday, calling for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the cremation. He accused the facility of failing to provide the dignity and respect families expect during the grieving process and called for state officials to examine the situation.
Attorneys John Eleftrakis and Wayne Wattley of EEP Law Firm said they have begun reviewing the case on behalf of the family and are considering potential legal action.
Rodney’s family plans to hold a symbolic funeral service Friday in Queens as they continue seeking answers.
J. Foster Phillips Funeral Home expressed sympathy for the family and said it was committed to supporting those affected. The funeral home said it has served the community for 97 years as a family-owned business and emphasized its commitment to treating every person with dignity and respect.
The funeral home said it would not provide additional comments out of respect for those involved.
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