A funeral in Philadelphia turned tragic when a collapsing platform caused pallbearers—including the deceased's son—to fall into an open grave, with the casket landing on top of them.
On March 21, 2025, 61-year-old Benjamin Aviles passed away from heart-related complications. His family planned his funeral for April 4 at Greenmount Cemetery in Philadelphia, WTHR reported.
What was meant to be a somber farewell quickly descended into chaos due to alleged negligence. As the pallbearers carried Aviles' casket to the burial site, video footage captured the moment the wooden platform above the grave collapsed beneath them.
Several men fell into the open grave along with the casket. Among them was Aviles' son, who was knocked unconscious when the coffin landed on him, his face buried in the mud. The collapse caused multiple injuries to the pallbearers, including bruises and lacerations to their legs, backs, and hands.
Family members expressed outrage, blaming both the cemetery and the funeral home for what they describe as poor planning and unsafe conditions.
"The casket lay on top of him, and he was out like a light with his face in the mud," Aviles' stepdaughter Maribelle Rodriguez described to WPVI.
The family has demanded accountability, including an apology and reimbursement for the disrupted ceremony. No officials from the cemetery or funeral home have publicly responded to the claims as of yet.
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