Betts says, “I made these memorabilia about Kyle.” In one photo, the outgoing young man is embracing his mom. He is surrounded by his family and friends in other photos.
He was not shy. She said that her son loved baseball, his family and dancing. He was happy.
Stephen Brady, a father of his first child, speaks out about his son, more than 1,000 miles away in Waco Texas.
Brady says, “He was my best friend.”
Davis Brady was very close to his family. He loved music and baseball too. He was extremely intelligent.
Despite their shared similarities, there were also some differences. Betts says that they didn’t look alike and there was a significant age gap.
Davis Brady was 22 years of age and 6’1″ tall. He was a light-skinned man with strawberry blonde hair.
Kyle Betts was 36 and stood 5′ 4′ tall. He was dark-skinned with dark hair.
This makes it even more difficult to comprehend much of the current hauntings of these two families, CBS Dallas reports.
Florida documents reveal what actually happened
According to a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Incident Report Brady and Betts were discovered together in an apartment in Jacksonville. Both were victims of accidental fatal overdoses. The Jacksonville detectives have described each victim in the documents. However, the Betts or Brady families claim that these entries are incorrect or incomplete.
The detectives listed their hair, complexion, build and weight as identical, declaring that both men had strawberry-blonde hair and a medium build. One of the men’s weight is listed, but the other is not.
Betts says that “His complexion wasn’t fair and white.” “They both said they were blonde.”
Betts is furious at the documents. Betts is furious.
Log-In receipts are documents that show the body being transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office. Betts is listed with a case number ending at -65. Brady’s case number ends with -66.
Both parents claim that the clothing descriptions of their sons are proof of their identities. Kyle Betts, a Jacksonville Jaguars fan, wore a Jaguar cap every day. According to the report, Davis Brady wore the only hat. Betts claims that her son was wearing his hat.
Betts says, “They had them switched immediately from the beginning.”
The case numbers of each man have been switched in autopsy exams that are timestamped within 24 hours of the Log-In Receipt.
They must match each man correctly to his case number.
But, months later toxicology reports reversed the original case numbers. Although the numbers are incorrect in the digital documents, someone marked the reports by hand. He/she writes the other man’s name in the column next to the case numbers and crosses out each man’s name. The men and their cases numbers should match again, but there was still confusion.
Betts is frustrated by the trail of confusion in documents and says, “It’s just JSO [sheriff’s] office) disrespect from beginning to inconsistency between transition from JSO into the Medical Examiner’s Officer.”
Bodies changed
The Medical Examiner’s Office was supposed to deliver Davis Brady’s body from Waco to his home.
His father said that the family made an unexpected discovery at the viewing.
“The body rolls in,” I replied, “That is not my hair color.” The beard color was not right. …The complexion was not correct. “
Brady, angry and frustrated, says “I looked and I said, ‘That is not my boy! “
Brady’s mom began making panicked calls to Betts’ mother in Florida immediately.
Betts says, “It was a very distressing message.” “Your son is here. “Your son is here. She’s [Brady’s mother] in Texas.”
Another shocking discovery
Just days prior to the call, the Betts requested that Kyle be cremated.
“In my mind I felt panic, because I thought to myself, “I know where her child is.” “If my son is there her son has already died.
Betts rang the phone.
Betts remembered that she called our funeral home immediately and explained what she had said. “Please tell me Kyle hasn’t been cremated yet. Betts, heartbroken and pausing, explains what she heard next. “‘Cremated, today!'”
She said, “Of all the timing.” “He had just been cremated, when she [Brady’s mom] reached out to me.”
The Brady family is also against cremation, making matters worse.
Brady explained, “In the Mormon Church… they prepare burial by embalming.” “We never saw my son’s corpse.” We were given ashes.”
Brady is nearly in disbelief today. “I won’t be able to bury the body of my son.” … I received the ashes, but I don’t know if that’s Davis.
Brady claims there have been many errors that make it difficult to determine what is correct. “I have doubts.”
Officials confirm the switch
Betts says, “At this point, I reached out at the medical examiner,” and that the medical examiner’s offices confirmed the mix-up.
Betts claims that the affirmation was accompanied by an unpleasant offer.
Their solution was simple and cost-effective. “Would it be possible to have him cremated?” Betts said.
Betts, outraged, replied, “Hell no!” Betts was outraged and replied, “Hell no! How can I be sure that my son isn’t in Texas? “…This poor mother needs her son’s body to be moved to Texas. I want my son in Jacksonville.”
This is how common is it?
Both families are looking into legal options. Both families found that the Jacksonville Sheriff’sOffice was to blame and the Medical Examiner’s Office District 4 in Florida.
All of this raises the question: How common is it?
Jim Bates, who has been director of The Funeral Consumers Alliance of North Texas for 30 years, says “Rare”. If you have questions about how death care is handled for your loved one, this is the place to go.
Bates claims he receives hundreds of complaints each year, mostly about the appearance or preparation of a body. But not about body switching.
Bates states that body switches are something he can’t remember a time.
CBS Dallas obtained state records that show that the Texas Department of Banking received four similar complaints since 2015. The station found photos and accusations of gravesites that were associated with loved ones in reports after poring through pages of documents.
“Not buried within the plot”
“Two bodies in a single grave” and “Empty”
“In this plot by error”
“Placed in the wrong plot.”
Oppositions divergent
CBS Dallas also reached out two Texas attorneys who are experts in cases involving funeral malpractice.
They were asked how common are body switches.
Alex Katzman says, “There is no way to know.” “If there is a cremation and it’s in closed caskets it might happen more often than people report.
Attorney Mark Greenwald stated that nationwide, there are many similar headlines as well as law firms handling these cases. This proves that body switches are not common.
Greenwald says that he has dealt with cases in which they misidentified the body at mortuary, misplaced it at funeral home, and made a mistake of having it cremated.
He describes how heartbreaking it can be for families and says that he had to “literally dig people up from ground who weren’t supposed to be buried there.”
CBS Dallas’ Katz and Greenwald said that they have two cases pending at the moment, which are hauntingly similar with the one involving Betts and Brady.
The heartbreak of a broken heart
Davis looks at the small chain that he holds in his hands and says “This is all my son has to offer.” Davis Brady received a bracelet with Brady’s remains from his mom.
Brady’s father, along with his heartache, now carries what he believes are his son’sashes.
He said, “Someone must be held responsible.” “Accountability of both the Medical Examiner’s and county detectives in the case …”
Brady claims that his family has never received an apology or a phone call from anyone.
Both families claim that the trail of documents raises more questions about the events.
Betts says, “It feels like they completely forgot that he wasn’t a human being. That he was somebody’s son, somebody’s brother, and that he loved.”
Response by Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office
The Sheriff’s Office in Dallas stated that “As a consequence of Marsy’s law, we aren’t at liberty to answer questions that might identify or confirm victimsof a crime.” The Medical Examiner’s Office, however, is responsible for identifying and releasing bodies. For more information on the above scenario, please contact them.
Response from Duvall County Medical Examiner
WJAX-TV was informed by the office of this Medical Examiner that it couldn’t comment on “pending litigation”.
Here are some ways to stop this from happening to your loved ones
Alex Katzman, Mark Greenwald, and Jim Bates all shared tips on how to identify the remains of loved ones before they are laid to rest.
1. You should not attempt to identify the body by yourself. Instead, send a friend or relative.
2. If you are unable to meet the person to identify the body, Zoom or FaceTime can be used to see it.
3. A tag should be attached to the body, usually on the foot or toe. Ask to see the tag, match the case number and name to each document, and then ask for the tag.
4. You can transfer your loved one to another funeral house if a death service doesn’t allow identification or provides red flags.
5. This is a sign that you are not comfortable with the cremation or burial process. A delay in refrigeration of the body should not exceed $50 per day. Some places may charge up to $800 per day. According to Bates, this is not fair.
6. Many interns working in death care are required to learn their skills over many hours. Funeral directors should supervise these interns. They shouldn’t be working on their own.
7. For references to interns or other practices, you should carefully read the fine print in your contract.
