A San Jose funeral home faces a lawsuit after a father received his late son’s brain instead of clothing, according to court filings and ABC7 News.
Alexander Pinon, 27, died on May 19, 2025. His family hired Lima Family Erickson Memorial Chapel for a full-service memorial. They asked staff to dress Alex in formal clothes and return the clothes worn at death.
The family’s attorney, Samer Habbas, said the family paid more than $10,000. Funeral director Anita Singh later handed Alex’s father a bag. He took it home, believing it contained clothing for laundry.
The family soon discovered the bag held a human brain. Alex’s father removed it from a washing machine and returned it to the funeral home. Habbas said Singh took the bag back without explanations, details, or an apology.
Weeks later, a whistleblower reportedly confirmed the brain belonged to Alex. The lawsuit claims Singh placed the brain in a box and left it in a courtyard for about two and a half months. An employee later found the box after noticing a strong odor from decomposing tissue.
Habbas said mistakes can occur but condemned any effort to conceal them. When ABC7 approached Singh for comment, she did not respond.
The lawsuit continues. The family is now arranging to reunite Alex’s brain with his remains.
