Action News Troubleshooters get help for grieving mother trying to bury son

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Action News Troubleshooters are helping a mother trying to lay her young son to rest.

She reached out about a Philadelphia funeral home that she says was failing to fulfill its obligations.

"Tashawn was the oldest of four," said Tyesha Carter. "He was very likable and lovable, and we miss him dearly."

Carter says her 22-year-old son was shot and killed on July 25.

"Gone too soon," she said. "You actually never imagine burying your child. You imagine your child burying you."

Carter paid $11,000 to a funeral home called Distinguished Memorial Chapels, Inc. in Philadelphia. It was to provide the funeral service and pay a cemetery $3,700 for the burial.

"I paid them in full on August 5, and August 8 was the funeral," she said.

Her only visible memorial at the cemetery is a heart she drew in the dirt. That is because, according to the cemetery, the check from Distinguished Memorial Chapels bounced.

"There were not sufficient funds," said Wayne Sands, the general manager at Northwood Cemetery in Philadelphia.

Sands said he contacted the funeral home about a dozen times and never heard back from them.

That continued into October, which held up Carter's ability to get a grave marker for her son. The cemetery said it couldn't proceed until it got paid.

"It just feels like I'm reliving this tragedy all over again," Carter said.

Finally, when even a letter from Carter's attorney didn't net results, Carter reached out to the Action News Troubleshooters for help.

"Once we got involved with you, it happened," Carter said.

After the Troubleshooters called the funeral home and Northwood Cemetery, "immediately after that, they were paid," Carter said.

"They came in and satisfied the bill. Everything's fine," Sands said.

The Troubleshooters went to the funeral home to ask why it took so long to make good on the payment.

Action News spoke with a woman named Jestine Johnson who did not seem happy to see us.

"Unless you speak to me directly and you have my permission to come, don't you ever show up. Now put that on the news," Johnson said.

The Troubleshooters explained we were trying to get the funeral home's side of the story.

"(There's) no side of the story to get. Don't ever come to my business again. That's the side of the story that I'm giving you and Channel 6. Don't ever come to my business again. Everything is remedied. People get hurt over things like this, OK? You can take that to the bank," Johnson said.

Carter says now she can try to begin to heal.

"I can take a deep breath. I just thank you guys for reaching out," Carter said. "This is something that I wouldn't wish on anyone and I'm just glad we're one step closer to the next step."