SOUTHFIELD, Mich. Two Detroit families came to the same law office on September 30 with connected grievances. Lawyers for the family of Kimberly Moore say a funeral home cremated her before a scheduled viewing, then presented another woman's body as hers. Lawyers for the family of Sandra Miller say the body presented that day was Miller's. Both families have now sued.
Fieger Law filed two lawsuits in Wayne County Circuit Court against Hutchison Funeral Home, Jaimie Hutchison, and a cremation company, on behalf of the Moore and Miller families. FOX 2 Detroit reported the cases were filed "Tuesday night," ahead of a Wednesday press conference at the firm's Southfield office.
Get the Tuesday Deathcare Briefing
Who’s buying whom in deathcare — free, once a week.
By the Numbers
What the Moore family alleges
Moore died September 3 after cancer, per ClickOnDetroit and FOX 2. Her family says she was cremated before they could hold a scheduled viewing. They say the body shown to them was another woman's, "disguised to look like Kimberly Moore."
"I didn't get a chance to say goodbye, and I needed it so bad just to keep going," said Bianca Robinson, Moore's daughter, according to ClickOnDetroit. "This is devastating. I can't sleep. We just want answers. Please."
Moore's family says it still has not received her ashes. Attorneys for the families say the ashes will undergo DNA testing.
What the Miller family alleges
Miller died September 13 after ovarian cancer, per ClickOnDetroit and FOX 2. Her daughter, Cessley Walker, says the funeral home initially assured the family that Miller was not part of the mix-up. Walker later identified her mother from a photo of the woman presented as Moore, the Free Press reported. Miller's family alleges her body was used as a "prop" during Moore's viewing without their knowledge or consent, per ClickOnDetroit.
"I just know that after everything she had been through, my mom deserved dignity, identification, protection and respect," Walker said, according to ClickOnDetroit. "We deserve answers and accountability."
These are allegations from complaints and family statements. None has been tested in court.
The defendants and the disputed name
The suits name Hutchison Funeral Home and Jaimie Hutchison. ClickOnDetroit describes Hutchison as the funeral home's owner. The Free Press describes Hutchison as the site's funeral director. The available reporting does not resolve the title.
The third defendant is a cremation company, and its name varies by outlet. ClickOnDetroit and FOX 2 Detroit report it as Michigan Cremation Services. The Free Press reports it as Southern Michigan Cremation Services. A syndicated WBRC version of the WDIV report prints the longer name. No complaint is publicly available online, so the filings themselves cannot settle the question.
Per FOX 2 Detroit, citing attorney James Harrington, the Moore complaint includes eight counts, among them breach of contract. FOX 2 and the Free Press both report the counts include negligence and gross negligence.
The funeral home's response
Hutchison Funeral Home says it launched an internal investigation. The explanation offered, as relayed by Harrington, is that an identification tag tied around Moore's toe got wet and fell off. The funeral home did things "behind closed doors to try to sweep this under the rug and make this look like it's not a big deal," Harrington said, according to ClickOnDetroit. Of the tag explanation, he said, "I think that was a lie."
Klint Kesto, an attorney for the funeral home, told the Free Press, "We're still working through investigating why this happened and in the future we're going to try to make sure this never happens again." He said there was "no intentionality" behind the incident.
The two sides dispute the ashes. A funeral home spokesperson said in a September 21 statement, per FOX 2: "The family refused the ashes after being offered them in an urn ... The Hutchison Family offer to pay for a DNA. The ashes are available for the family to receive at any time."
A death in the family
The funeral home's vice president was found dead in his home on September 24, the Free Press reported. Detroit police confirmed to the paper that they are not investigating any criminality related to the matter. "It's a difficult time for the family because of the passing of Joey Hutchison. The family would appreciate privacy," Kesto said, according to ClickOnDetroit.
What to watch
The cases now sit in Wayne County Circuit Court. No outlet has published a case number, and the court offers no free public online docket for civil cases. The funeral home's internal investigation is pending, and Kesto says identification policies will be reviewed. The cremation company's correct legal name, and its response to the suits, should emerge from the court record.
What This Means for You
*Sources: WDIV ClickOnDetroit (Lauren Kostiuk and Jacob Nagel), October 1, 2026; FOX 2 Detroit (WJBK), coverage of the September 30 press conference; Detroit Free Press (Beki San Martin, with Andrea Sahouri contributing), September 30, 2026, updated October 1, 2026; WBRC syndicated WDIV report via CNN Newsource, October 1, 2026.*
Get investigations like this in your inbox
Free. Every Tuesday.