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Family Sues Cemetery After Body Falls From Casket During Burial

June 10, 2026 · The Independent

An 82-year-old widow claims cemetery workers dropped her husband's coffin, causing his body to fall out during the funeral.

An 82-year-old woman from Queens, New York is suing a cemetery after workers dropped her husband's coffin during his burial. Zinule Nisha Ghanni says cemetery employees at Washington Memorial Park made a terrible mistake on May 28, 2025. Her husband's body fell out of the casket while family members watched in horror. The widow filed a lawsuit in June, claiming the cemetery was careless and caused her family great pain.

Abdulla Ghanni, who was 88 years old, died on May 27, 2025. His family planned his burial for the next day at Washington Memorial Park on Long Island, New York. According to the lawsuit, the cemetery took control of Mr. Ghanni's body but did not handle it properly. The family says this led to the shocking incident at the gravesite.

Mrs. Ghanni's lawsuit blames the cemetery for not taking care of their equipment. She claims the workers failed to properly maintain the machine used to lower caskets into the ground. The lawsuit says the cemetery ignored clear signs that their equipment was broken. Because of this equipment failure, Mr. Ghanni's body fell out of his casket during the burial ceremony.

The widow says this terrible experience has caused her severe emotional pain. She has trouble sleeping and eating since the incident happened. Mrs. Ghanni also lost her enjoyment of life and suffers from both mental and physical pain. The lawsuit claims the cemetery took away her right to bury her husband properly according to her beliefs and wishes.

The dropping of the Decedent Abdulla Ghanni's casket into the ground causing the body to fall out and be exposed would not have occurred in the absence of Defendant's negligence.

Comprehension quiz preview

1. How old was Zinule Nisha Ghanni when she filed the lawsuit?

  • A80 years old
  • B82 years old
  • C85 years old
  • D88 years old

2. When did Abdulla Ghanni die?

  • AMay 26, 2025
  • BMay 27, 2025
  • CMay 28, 2025
  • DJune 2, 2025

3. Where is Washington Memorial Park located?

  • AQueens, New York
  • BLong Island, New York
  • CHouston, Texas
  • DBrooklyn, New York

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