Note: Some of the details in this story are disturbing.
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — A Chesapeake family has filed a lawsuit against a well-known funeral home claiming negligence in the way their loved one was presented during a viewing.
“It was my understanding that he was coming off the exit, lost control and the car hit here and flipped and landed back there,” said Tiffany Barnhart, talking about how her nephew, Torreon Williams, died May 2, 2022.
Seven days later, his open casket viewing created such a nightmare, the family hired attorney Kevin Sharp.
“They provided this family with a grotesque freak show,” Sharp said. “Maggots pouring out of this young man’s nose. Maggots in his mouth, and on his face.”
Torreon Williams’ mother, Tabitha Worrell, has filed a lawsuit.
“I just remember my sister screaming,” Tiffany Barnhart told 10 On Your Side. “I remember the lady [who works for Snellings] placing her hand on her, telling her not to make a scene.”
Said Sharp: “And she was mortified by the way they reacted. They almost seemed to say, ‘You don’t overreact here.’ You’re the one to blame, not what they had done to her son.”
The lawsuit alleges in some ways, the family has lost Tabitha Worrell, who the suit claims now experiences nightmares, trauma, sleeplessness, flashback, anxiety, depression, nausea, humiliation, embarrassment, grief and horror.”
10 On Your Side went to Snellings and was met by Denise Magee.
“That is something you will have to contact Holloman-Brown on Tidewater Drive because we are owned by Holloman-Brown,” Magee told us.
Holloman-Brown Funeral Home’s Casey Jones sent this statement to 10 On Your Side:
“The unexpected passing of Torreon Williams is tragic, and we extend our sincere condolences to his family. However, because the events following his death are the subject of ongoing litigation, we do not believe it is appropriate to comment publicly at this time.”
— Casey Jones, CEO, Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home, Inc./Snellings Funeral Home, Inc.
10 On Your Side would have asked, how did maggot infestation happen? Sharp thinks this will come out at trial.
“How this happened — they received his body, and they did not properly clean and disinfect his body, and then he went through the embalming process,” Sharp said. “That was improper.”
The case is set to be heard in Chesapeake Circuit Court’s civil division at 8:45 a.m. July 28. The court is expecting to have a three-day jury trial.
Read a copy of the lawsuit below:
