Woman says an Augusta funeral home destroyed father's body and she wants answers

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By Ashley Campbell acampbell@nbcaugusta.com

Story Published: Oct 7, 2008 at 5:52 PM EST

Story Updated: Oct 8, 2008 at 2:15 AM EST

AUGUSTA, Ga.- A daughter wants answers from an Augusta funeral home that she says destroyed her father's body.

NBC Augusta 26 News spoke with Yvonne Gowdy.

Gowdy said the family is planning to sue Dent's Undertaking Establishment.

Sunday night Yvonne Gowdy and her family went to Dent's for the viewing of her father, Joshua Gowdy who died of a heart attack.

Their sadness and mourning soon turned to anger when they were told they could not view Gowdy's body because of its condition.

The family called the sheriff's office and a deputy spoke with a Dent's employee who then allowed the family to view Mr. Gowdy's body.

"When we went in there it stunk so bad and flies and gnats were on him. It looked like cuts were on his face and it looked like they tried to sew it back up and blood was just draining - he was soaked in blood," said Yvonne Gowdy.

Originally Gowdy's body was taken to Mays Mortuary, but the family decided to use Dent's for the services.

NBC Augusta 26 News spoke with Frank Griffin, who works for Dent's Undertaking Establishment.

Griffin refused to go on camera but did say that when he received Gowdy's body he noticed it was swollen.

Willie Mays, the owner of Mays Mortuary, says Griffin didn't mention a problem with the body to him for two days.

"If you receive a remains in such a condition that you could not do anything or there was a problem then why would you not say anything or do anything other than let it stay there," said Mays.

The Gowdy family tells NBC Augusta the Georgia Department of Funeral Services is investigating to find out exactly what happened to Mr. Gowdy's body including when or if he was embalmed.

Monday, Oct 27 at 3:33 PM Georgia Funeral Director wrote ...

Mays funeral Home is at fault. They should have embalmed the body immediately after they received the remains. Insted, they went on a funeral and did not embalm the man. Tyhe fault is with May's and not Dent's.

Friday, Oct 17 at 8:30 AM hando wrote ...

To here such disgracefu actions by two black, well-known establishment is horrific. Dent's buried my mother in 1981 and others family members as well. Mays have been around long enough (buried my great grand parents) to know proper procedures. My sympathy goes out to the Gowdy Family and I hope this ridiculous situation is resolved very soon.

Wednesday, Oct 15 at 4:39 PM erick wrote ...

MR. MORTUARY INSTRUCTOR IF THE FAMILY GAVE MAYS WRITTEN PERMISSION TO EMBALM THE BODY ARE THEY RESPONSIBLE AND WHAT IS A GOOD TIME FRAME TO EMBALM A BODY ONCE IT IS RECEIVED.

Tuesday, Oct 14 at 6:47 AM MORTUARY INSTRUCTOR wrote ...

(CONTINUED)EMBALM. IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER, THE PERSON DIED AT HOME. AFTER SEVERAL HOURS IT BECAME RISKY NOT TO EMBALM, I COULD NOT REACH THE FAMILY. SO I EMBALMED THE BODY TO PROTECT US. IT WAS ALMOST A DAY WHEN THE FAMILY FINALLY RETURNED MY CALL. BUT THANK GOD FOR MY JUDGEMENT CALL. THE RECEIVING F/H NEVER SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE BODY IF SOMETHING DIDNT LOOK RIGHT! CAN'T KEEP LOOKING AT THE DOLLAR USE GOOD SENSE. IF MY FAMILY WERE TO DECIDE NOT TO EMBALM, THEN I WOULD NOT CHARGE.

Tuesday, Oct 14 at 6:41 AM MORTUARY INSTRUCTOR wrote ...

QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED, WILL DETERMINE WHAT HAPPENED. 1.HOW LONG WAS THE BODY IN THE HOUSE BEFORE HE WAS DICOVERED DEAD? 2.WHAT WHAT IS THE TIME FRAME BETWEEN DEATH AND REMOVAL BY THE FIRST F/H? 3.DID THE FAMILY AUTHORIZE THE 1ST F/H TO EMBALM? 4.WHAT IS THE TIME FRAME BETWEEN THE REMOVAL OF THE 2ND F/H? 5.WHAT CONDITION WAS THE BODY IN WHEN HE WAS RECEIVED BY THE 2ND F/H? THIS COULD VERY WELL BE THE FAMILIES FAULT TO SOME DEGREE. I HAD A CASE WHERE THE FAMILY AUTHORIZED REMOVAL AND NO

Monday, Oct 13 at 10:50 PM Atl undertaker wrote ...

where cavity fluid is injected a tempoary fix for a quick view. IN my opion the should sue and the state should fine them and close them.

Monday, Oct 13 at 10:48 PM Atl undertaker wrote ...

First, this is just a tradgedy this shpould have never happen.When he expired the corner came to pronounce him,then W.H mays came, ok this what i am lost at what didnt mays just keep the body or the family didnt make up their minds to which mortuary they will use. Second when the body arrive at Dent`s they have been in businees for how long? and you cant tell if a body is embalmed look at points of injection. Swollen seems to me all they did ih Hypo him .. this means puncuture the stomach

Sunday, Oct 12 at 6:06 PM Just Wrong wrote ...

Mr. Gowdy was picked up from his house at 12:00pm and taken to Mays...around 9:00pm he arrived at Dents. If proper procedures were followed by BOTH funeral homes then this would not have happened. There is no reason he should have been swollen or bleeding or even smelling the day of the viewing.

Saturday, Oct 11 at 11:16 PM Karen wrote ...

The Board of Funeral Services in Georgia should go in, lock the doors, and an inquest should be done as to why the decedant was in such a condition. It is crap like this that makes us all look bad. Lying, lying and more lying to cover up. Maybe those folks should have paid closer attention in ethics. Although most of us know what is right and wrong, some of us dont and should not be allowed to be a professional in the death care industry.

Saturday, Oct 11 at 11:11 PM Melissa wrote ...

There are several things that need to be considered in this case. First, if the deceased died from a heart attack in his home or in the hospital, he should not have had markings on the face, but... how long after he had passed did he make it to a funeral home? Time can worsen any postmortum state. Swelling does not justify odors, and leaking fluids. The funeral home was definetly in the wrong for not informing the family of his condition,but what was the timeframe between funeral homes?

Saturday, Oct 11 at 4:01 PM funeral home? wrote ...

Is this the same mortuary that "lost" a body in a back room a few months ago?

Friday, Oct 10 at 4:52 PM justme wrote ...

The funeral home had the consent of the family the moment they decided to switch from one funeral home to the other. That is not an issue it happens all the time. The questions and answers are all in the timelines. What happen to procedures from the time Mays Funeral Home picked up Mr. Gowdy and delivered him to Dent's Undertaking. This is not an issue people should just be saying mistakes happen and just get over it. Dent's need to make some decisions about ownership and management

Friday, Oct 10 at 3:47 PM JB wrote ...

My first question would be is why did the family move the body from the first business ? Before anyone should make a statement ! There's many questions needed to be answered.Funeral Directors can't do anything without the family's consent..

Friday, Oct 10 at 3:37 PM He Works wrote ...

Erick please....this is not the only mistake Dents has made. There are tons of "mistakes" they have made and YES from this one it will cost them more that just their business. Its already under investigation...their actions and carelessness caused them destruction. They should have just been open and honest from the start. God bless the family and Mr. Gowdy!

Friday, Oct 10 at 12:08 PM ERICK wrote ...

I AM SORRY BETTY I DONT AGREE IF THIS WAS YOUR BUSINESS AND THIS WAS YOUR ONLY INCOME AND YOU MADE A MISTAKE WOULD YOU WANT TO BE CLOSED DOWN. DONT THROW STONES YOU PROBALY HAVE SOME PROBLEMS OF YOUR OWN

Thursday, Oct 9 at 10:54 PM Betty wrote ...

Isn`t this the 2nd or 3rd complaint on these people? I would say lock the doors and throw away the keys. So sorry for this family.

Wednesday, Oct 8 at 2:39 PM lynn2blessed@yahoo.com wrote ...

my heart goes out to this famly. I am sorry they had to experience such a tramatic ordeal. It also shows that some of my collegues need to go back to the Golden Rule of funeral services that was taught in mortuary school. Treat every body as if it were your family member.

Wednesday, Oct 8 at 11:30 AM BREE026 wrote ...

IN RESPONSE TO DISGRACEFUL... AMEN, SHUT IT DOWN, ALL THEY CARED ABOUT WAS THE MONEY........

Tuesday, Oct 7 at 7:09 PM Disgraceful wrote ...

What a 1st class sorry establishment. The state needs to close that place down. Obviously, they don't know what they are doing. My heart goes out to the family.

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