Tennessee family claims funeral home mishandled son's body, forcing closed casket

Warning: The details in this story are disturbing.

A grieving Tennessee family wants answers after they say a local funeral home mishandled the preparation of their teen for his funeral service.

Bobbie Money lost her son Aiden Pearson in an ATV accident a little over a month ago in Bledsoe County.

Money tells us they initially planned and signed for an open casket funeral. She says Aiden was an organ donor, and she was told his donations to save lives would not affect whether his casket could be open.

But Bobbie says the embalmer’s report she received didn’t have odor marked.

Money says the Reed-Putnam funeral home later told her that the damage from Aiden's organ donation made the embalming process more difficult.

Because of the odor, they had to have an empty casket at the service while Aiden’s body sat in a casket in a hearse outside.

Family friend Stephen Fernandez, a registered nurse, couldn't believe it.

Fernandez added...

The family has filed a complaint with the state.

Money tells us the embalming report she received doesn’t have odor marked.

Money says her entire family was traumatized by the incident, and that her family's last memory of Aiden was the awful smell.

Kayleigh Pearson, Aiden’s younger sister, says...

We have attempted to contact the Putnam-Reed funeral home to get their side of the story by email and phone.

Putnam-Reed Funeral Home Director Heather Reed-Poston wouldn't' speak to us directly.

But after our report, their attorney, Howard Upchurch sent us the following statement:

We've also reached out to the state of Tennessee Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers, which is under the Department of Commerce, to learn more about the complaint Aiden's family filed.

Depend on us to keep you posted as we learn more.