Queens funeral home sued after allegedly sending body to wrong country

    NEW YORK, New York (WCBS) -- A Queens family has filed a lawsuit after a funeral home allegedly sent their loved one's body to the wrong country.

Woman's remains mistakenly flown from NYC to Guatemala instead of Ecuador

Carmen Maldonado, a mother of six and beloved grandmother, died in May.

Her family says they filled out paperwork with the Rivera Funeral Home in Corona to have her body prepared here, but then flown to her home country of Ecuador so family there could say their final goodbyes.

"She wanted to be laid to rest next to my grandfather," granddaughter Karla Minchala said.

Instead, Maldonado's daughter says she learned through a news report on TikTok that her mother's body had ended up in Guatemala.

In Spanish, she told CBS News New York, "We accepted God's will that she left, but not to go through this terrible confusion."

The family says the funeral home apologized, but then, they say they had to beg them to pay for the body to be flown from Guatemala to Ecuador.

"Every day, we got to call and call, please, please," son Carlos Minchala said.

The family also covered costs themselves to make sure Maldonado's body stayed preserved.

Carlos Minchala had to fly from Queens to Guatemala to retrieve her casket, saying it was like grieving all over again.

Family takes Rivera Funeral Home to court

The family believes they are not alone and they say that is why they are taking the funeral home to court.

"Many people doesn't take the actions, legal actions, because why? Because some people is not of legal status," Carlos Minchala said. "Too expensive ... for other countries."

The lawsuit seeks an undisclosed amount for several things, including emotional distress and breach of contract.

CBS News New York did contact Rivera, and the owner named in the lawsuit – RG Ortiz Funeral Homes – but did not hear back by our deadline.