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A New Jersey family has filed a $50 million lawsuit against a funeral home after workers allegedly put the wrong woman in their mother’s casket – then jerked the coffin out of the grave in front of shocked mourners.

Kyung Ja Kim, 93, was mixed up with another woman with the same last name, who they dressed in Kim’s clothes and memorialized at Central Funeral Home in Ridgefield — where mourners didn’t recognize the deceased, a new lawsuit claims.

Daughter Kummi Kim “rationalized” the difference in appearance to “the embalming process and application of heavy mortuary makeup, fake hair and/or some type of filler such as Botox,” said the lawsuit, filed Monday by attorney Michael Maggiano.

Meanwhile, her mother’s dentures were placed under a pillow in the coffin – under the corpse of the other woman who had a full set of her own teeth, the morbid lawsuit claims.

“The last memory of her was very painful and disturbing and horrible,” Kummi said at a Tuesday news conference, according to video posted by News 12 New Jersey. Kim died Nov. 10, 2021, the lawsuit stated.

The lawsuit also names as defendants Blackley Funeral Home and Cremation Services and funeral director Haemin Gina Chong, who allegedly texted the other family to discuss their loved one’s physical traits on the ride from Promise Church in Leonia to Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.


  The woman was dressed up in Kim’s clothing. News 12 New Jersey The woman was dressed up in Kim’s clothing. News 12 New Jersey

  Daughter Kummi Kim said the last memory of her mother was “very painful and disturbing and horrible.” News 12 New Jersey Daughter Kummi Kim said the last memory of her mother was “very painful and disturbing and horrible.” News 12 New Jersey

  Kim’s dentures were placed under a pillow in the coffin – under the corpse of the other woman, who had a full set of her own teeth. News 12 New Jersey Kim’s dentures were placed under a pillow in the coffin – under the corpse of the other woman, who had a full set of her own teeth. News 12 New Jersey

Chong called Hummi on the ride and allegedly offered to “turn all the cars around” if the daughter wasn’t sure it was her mother in the casket but made no mention of the conversations with the other family.

After the casket was lowered in the ground, the funeral director shared photos that the Kim family confirmed were of their actual mother, according to the lawsuit. Only then did Chong order the casket to be lifted from the grave and taken back to the funeral home, the lawsuit claims.

A second service was held after the corpses’ clothing and possessions were swapped, but many mourners who had traveled from as far as Korea couldn’t attend the “real” memorial, the family claimed.


  During the service, the funeral director ordered the casket to be lifted from the grave and taken to the funeral home. News 12 New Jersey During the service, the funeral director ordered the casket to be lifted from the grave and taken to the funeral home. News 12 New Jersey

  The Kim family is suing Central Funeral Home, Blackley Funeral Home and Cremation Services and funeral director Haemin Gina Chong. News 12 New Jersey The Kim family is suing Central Funeral Home, Blackley Funeral Home and Cremation Services and funeral director Haemin Gina Chong. News 12 New Jersey


  A second service was held after the corpses’ clothing and possessions were swapped, News 12 New Jersey A second service was held after the corpses’ clothing and possessions were swapped, News 12 New Jersey

The Kims were offered a refund of the $9,000 it paid the funeral home – but Central allegedly tried to cash the check anyway, according to News 12.

The Post has reached out to the funeral home for comment.

Yoonsung Kim, the deceased’s son, said at the news conference if the lawsuit were successful he wouldn’t take any money and instead it would be donated to her church.

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