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Board reprimands McDermott’s, fines $9,000 in family complaint over cremation delays
Summary
After a complaint from Claudia Kelly about delayed cremation and record-signing problems, the Board found violations and issued a public reprimand, $9,000 in fines and attorney-fee obligations payable within one year.
The Board found that McDermott’s Funeral and Cremation Service failed to move a cremation case forward in a reasonable time and misrepresented the timeline to a grieving family, concluding that multiple violations in complaint FB24-04 were proven.
Executive Director Stephanie McGee summarized the complaint by Claudia Kelly, whose mother died Dec. 11, 2023. McGee testified that records show the doctor did not sign until Jan. 31, 2024, and the cremation occurred 47 days after death. Ms. Kelly told the Board she had been told the cremation would take about two weeks, and when progress lagged she and her daughter went to the hospital and learned hospital staff had not been contacted about signing the record.
The Board found violations including failure to respond timely to investigatory notices and deficiencies in management and communications. The Board imposed a public reprimand and fines of $1,500 per violation for a total of $9,000, plus attorney fees up to $2,000, with payments due within one year and a payment plan to be established within 30 days.
Mr. Grant acknowledged mistakes and apologized to Ms. Kelly, stating he had implemented procedural changes to avoid recurrence. The Board reiterated that a managing funeral director is responsible for oversight and timely case management.
