Two families in Kentucky are facing heartbreak and confusion after a mix-up involving their loved ones’ cremated remains. They’re now suing the owners of a local funeral home for what they believe is a terrible mistake — possibly even losing the ashes of their family members.
Bobby Hinkel’s mother, Charlotte Hinkel, passed away in December 2023. When her cremated remains were returned by J.B. Ratterman & Sons Funerals & Family Cremation Care in Louisville, something felt off. The family couldn’t shake the feeling that the ashes they received might not be Charlotte’s. Desperate for answers, they reached out to the media for help.
Documents from J.B. Ratterman revealed that Charlotte’s body was sent to another business, Cloverport Funeral Home, for cremation. But here’s the shocking part — Cloverport Funeral Home wasn’t even licensed or registered to perform cremations. This was uncovered during an investigation by the Kentucky Attorney General’s office, which ultimately fined Cloverport Funeral Home a staggering $580,000. Investigators discovered that 290 illegal cremations, including Charlotte’s, had taken place at the facility.
Now, Bobby is left with haunting doubts. “I don’t know if that’s my mom, I don’t know if it’s somebody else’s,” he said. “And we’ll probably never know.”
Another family, dealing with their own grief, is also caught up in this troubling situation. Rebecca Moore turned to J.B. Ratterman’s services after her uncle, Ira Ison, passed away. But things took a bizarre turn when the funeral home reported Ira’s cremains missing. Eventually, the family received what they were told were Ira’s ashes, but a chemical test revealed the ashes were actually soil. Imagine their shock and devastation.
A representative for J.B. Ratterman explained that while they offered cremation services, they didn’t actually have the facilities to do the cremations themselves. Instead, they partnered with Anthony Oxendine, the owner of Cloverport Funeral Home. But Oxendine’s track record raises serious concerns. His career in the funeral industry has been anything but smooth. Back in Indiana, he was denied a funeral director license in 2016 and a courtesy card in 2017. Later, he managed Spring Valley Funeral Home in Indiana, which was eventually shut down after investigators found unsanitary conditions and dozens of unclaimed cremains.
Oxendine’s troubles didn’t stop there. By December 2023, he was handling funerals for J.B. Ratterman, including those of Charlotte Hinkel and Ira Ison. During a meeting with the Kentucky Board of Funeral Home Directors and Embalmers in January 2024, J.B. Ratterman’s owner, Tony Ratterman, reportedly brought up issues he was having with Oxendine.
Both Ratterman and Oxendine are now being sued by the families. While Ratterman has denied all accusations, Oxendine has yet to respond. In a statement to the media, Ratterman expressed a desire to share his side of the story but declined to comment on the lawsuit.
For the Hinkel and Ison families, the situation is a nightmare. Losing a loved one is hard enough, but the uncertainty surrounding their remains adds an unbearable layer of pain. Their fight for answers and accountability continues, as they hope no other families will have to go through what they’ve endured.
