A Connecticut man was left heartbroken and shocked when the funeral director in charge of his late wife’s memorial made a stunning move that he did not agree to. Before her final goodbye, the deceased woman’s head was shaved at the funeral home, and he was given the long locks of her hair, although he didn’t authorize the move, and was never asked.
On the Legal Advice Reddit page, a friend of the Connecticut man told the story and asked if there were any legal options the widower could now take. The story is jaw-dropping, as the post revealed the funeral director asked the man’s in-laws about the head-shaving move, and they agreed to it. However, the husband was never looped into the conversation, and was not in approval of the surprising move.
Connecticut Man Devastated After Late Wife’s Head Shaved Before Cremation
“About two months ago, my friend’s wife passed away unexpectedly, and was appointed and became the controlling party of his body and remains,” the Redditor wrote. “He was then informed that his brother in laws had been asked by the funeral director if they wanted his wife’s hair as a memento. They agreed, and shaved her head prior to her cremation.”
The poster then went on to reveal that the widower is completely distraught about his wife’s body being altered before her cremation. Unfortunately, the man is now a mess because of the situation.
“My friend is disheveled, angry, and is a complete mess over the idea of his wife’s corpse having its head shaved. His brother in laws presented the hair to him, and he has been a mess since,” the post read. “Given the fact that he has custody and control over her body, both by the law by default and by the paperwork signed from the funeral director, was this decision legal?”
Of course, the Reddit community had plenty to say about the upsetting situation.
“I am so sorry to hear this. Shaving the head is a significant physical alteration and would require explicit consent from the legal next of kin,” one person stated.
“I would also say if he needs any medical intervention (meds for sleep or anxiety for example) or grief counseling as a result of this, that should also be documented and brought to an attorney regarding damages,” said another.
“The director definitely shouldn’t have asked the in-laws. The husband is NOK and the only one with the authority to give permission for that. And shaving the whole head is really out of left field,” a third person wrote.
It seems that the Connecticut man has a lot of things to think about before he decides what his next course of action will be. Sadly, the situation is so heartbreaking for many reasons, and there doesn’t appear to be an answer that will ease the pain of the late woman’s loved ones.
