Sherlet Stapleton, whose mother died last Wednesday at her home in Chateaubelair, is now in great distress and has suffered an asthma attack after what she told the St. Vincent Times was pure deception at the hands of an agent from the Memorial Funeral Home.
Stapleton said last Wednesday that when her mother, Sybil McKenzie, died, she called the Ever Ready Funeral Home to handle her remains.
“The guys from EverReady came for my mother’s body.” I know them personally, which is why I called them. “After they left, I collected the documents to register my mother’s death at the Troumaca post office,” Stapleton said.
McKenzie is originally from Rose Hall and spent her later years in Chateaubelair with her daughter.
Stapleton said while waiting for transport to Troumaca, she was told that someone from the funeral home was on their way to assist her and she should wait for them, to which she complied.
“A white Jeep arrived at the bus stop where I was, and two men were inside, one of whom is from Troumaca; however, while I know his face, I can’t recall his name. The other man, who is tall and has brown skin, asked her if I was Sherlet Stapleton, to which I replied yes. He further asked me for both IDs, my mother’s and mine, along with death registration papers”.
Sherlet said she had to go home for her mother’s ID.
“The man who was driving carried me home to get the ID; through all of this, he never identified himself to me or said which funeral home he was from, and I never asked because I simply assumed he was an agent of the EverReady Funeral Home.”
Sherlet told the St. Vincent Times that when she called the man to ask for the ID and papers after realizing he was not an agent of the EverReady Funeral Home, she was told she had to pay.
“I was told that it cost me $700 before any such documents could be handed over. Where am I going to get this money? I don’t have it. “This is taking a toll on my health,” she told the St. Vincent Times.
“I have suffered distress; if I cannot cope, they will kill me.” I have already suffered an asthma attack. “We are poor; the running up and down, the back and forth, is putting further pressure on me,” Stapleton said.
Stapleton said she does not know where to turn or who to speak with.
“I don’t know what to do; we went to the police; they asked the man to hand over the document, and he did not,” Stapleton said.
