The Lead Off A central Ohio funeral home has acknowledged a cremation error involving a woman whose family says she was meant to be buried. The case is now the subject of a civil lawsuit alleging negligence, breach of contract, and emotional distress. Both sides agree Nancy Anders was cremated desp ite funeral plans that called for burial and future interment with her husband. COLUMBUS, OH (WOWO) A central Ohio funeral home is acknowledging a cremation mistake involving a Hilliard woman whose family says she had planned to be buried with her late husband, according to court filings and statements from both sides in a pending lawsuit. The dispute is now before Franklin County Common Pleas Court, where Nancy Anders’ children have filed a complaint alleging negligence, breach of contract, and emotional distress against Tidd Family Funeral Home according to WBNS. Funeral home acknowledges cremation error Both parties agree that Nancy Anders was cremated in May of last year despite detailed funeral arrangements that called for burial alongside her late husband. According to the funeral home, the mistake occurred due to a procedural failure involving required identification checks prior to cremation. Tidd Family Funeral Home spokesperson Ryan Steubenrausch said: “This employee was interrupted at something he was doing, and he was halfway through one of the checks, and then he forgot to do the second check,” Steubenrausch said. “And so he mistakenly grabbed the wrong remains.” He said the employee involved was terminated following the incident and that the company reported the error to state regulators. Lawsuit alleges breach of burial instructions The lawsuit states Nancy Anders spent months planning funeral arrangements after her husband’s death in 2023, including instructions for burial following disinterment at Union Cemetery. Court filings say cremation was “never an option” and conflicted with her stated wishes and beliefs. The complaint also states her arrangements were fully documented and prepaid, totaling approximately $9,533. Her children allege they were informed on June 7, 2025, during a meeting at the funeral home, that their mother had already been cremated. According to the complaint, a funeral home representative told the family: “Mom was cremated,” the complaint states. The lawsuit includes claims of negligence, gross negligence, breach of contract, and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Funeral home response and corrective actions The funeral home says it has acknowledged the mistake, issued an apology, refunded payments, and assisted the family in completing burial arrangements consistent with their wishes. Steubenrausch said safeguards are in place, including identification verification procedures and written authorization requirements prior to cremation. He also said the company ended its relationship with an independent sales representative connected to the original prepaid arrangements, stating that individual made commitments the funeral home did not authorize. Owner Rick Tidd said in a statement that the business accepts responsibility for the error but disputes the damages sought in the lawsuit. Legal proceedings The case is now working through Franklin County Common Pleas Court. If not resolved through settlement, it could proceed to a jury trial where liability and damages would be determined. Attorneys for the Anders family have not publicly commented on the case. Next steps Court filings and pretrial proceedings are expected to continue as both sides prepare for potential litigation. A trial date has not yet been announced. The Takeaway A central Ohio funeral home has acknowledged that Nancy Anders was cremated despite documented funeral plans calling for burial alongside her late husband. The error is now the subject of a civil lawsuit in Franklin County. The funeral home says the mistake resulted from a procedural breakdown in required identification checks and has stated that the employee involved was terminated, while also reporting the incident to regulators and assisting the family with burial arrangements. The case remains active in court, with the family seeking damages for alleged negligence and emotional distress, while the funeral home disputes the scale of the claims. A jury could ultimately decide the outcome if the case proceeds to trial. The post Funeral home says employee error led to cremation instead of burial instructions appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less