Miaow
05-08-2009, 11:29
How horrible for them to impose such a fee :( Poor mum and family
Mum fined for grieving too long
By staff writers
NEWS.com.au
August 04, 2009 05:41pm
Mum tells dead son not to be scared
Fined by officials for taking too long
Fine later refunded
A GRIEVING mother was fined £86 ($173) for spending too long at her son's tiny coffin before it was taken away for cremation.
Terrie Rouse, 32, said her grief turned to shock when officials told her she had taken too long to say goodbye, The Daily Mail reported. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1204049/Grieving-mother-fined-86-crematorium-taking-long-say-goodbye-dead-baby-boy.html)
"The vicar had asked if I would like to spend a bit more time saying goodbye," she said.
"I sat by the coffin for 10 minutes, telling my son how much we loved him and begging him not to be scared."
Officials at the crematorium, run by a local English council, impose an extra charge if any funeral runs over its 30-minute slot.
However, the couple's funeral directors said there was plenty of time for the next funeral which was not due to take place for another 50 minutes.
Miss Rouse’s partner, Lee Smythe, said the fee was "sick and disgusting".
"Terrie was weeping hysterically,’ he said.
"She just wanted a few extra minutes to say goodbye to our much-loved little boy."
The couple’s son, Zane, died at five weeks from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome on April 9.
The family waited three months before they could have a funeral to allow for tests to be carried out.
"It was distressing enough having to wait for the funeral because we were left in limbo, but this has just made it all worse," Mr Smythe said.
"If we had over-run by 30 minutes and had held up proceedings for other people I would understand but this was ten minutes. I really feel like the bosses are taking liberties."
A council spokesman apologised for making the extra fee.
"We understand that sometimes more time may be preferred and so families are offered the chance to book extra time if they need it,’ he said.
"This means when funerals that have not taken up this option over-run, a fee is automatically charged.
"However, when we learned that there were extenuating circumstances we, of course, refunded the extra charge."
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25882361-401,00.html
Mum fined for grieving too long
By staff writers
NEWS.com.au
August 04, 2009 05:41pm
Mum tells dead son not to be scared
Fined by officials for taking too long
Fine later refunded
A GRIEVING mother was fined £86 ($173) for spending too long at her son's tiny coffin before it was taken away for cremation.
Terrie Rouse, 32, said her grief turned to shock when officials told her she had taken too long to say goodbye, The Daily Mail reported. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1204049/Grieving-mother-fined-86-crematorium-taking-long-say-goodbye-dead-baby-boy.html)
"The vicar had asked if I would like to spend a bit more time saying goodbye," she said.
"I sat by the coffin for 10 minutes, telling my son how much we loved him and begging him not to be scared."
Officials at the crematorium, run by a local English council, impose an extra charge if any funeral runs over its 30-minute slot.
However, the couple's funeral directors said there was plenty of time for the next funeral which was not due to take place for another 50 minutes.
Miss Rouse’s partner, Lee Smythe, said the fee was "sick and disgusting".
"Terrie was weeping hysterically,’ he said.
"She just wanted a few extra minutes to say goodbye to our much-loved little boy."
The couple’s son, Zane, died at five weeks from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome on April 9.
The family waited three months before they could have a funeral to allow for tests to be carried out.
"It was distressing enough having to wait for the funeral because we were left in limbo, but this has just made it all worse," Mr Smythe said.
"If we had over-run by 30 minutes and had held up proceedings for other people I would understand but this was ten minutes. I really feel like the bosses are taking liberties."
A council spokesman apologised for making the extra fee.
"We understand that sometimes more time may be preferred and so families are offered the chance to book extra time if they need it,’ he said.
"This means when funerals that have not taken up this option over-run, a fee is automatically charged.
"However, when we learned that there were extenuating circumstances we, of course, refunded the extra charge."
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25882361-401,00.html