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Woman whose slain son was buried without her loses appeal

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Posted at 10:55 AM, Nov 14, 2021
and last updated 2021-11-14 10:55:56-05

MT. MORRIS, Mich. (AP) — A young man was buried before his mother arrived at a Flint-area cemetery. But Vernisha Key has failed to persuade the Michigan appeals court to reinstate her claims of intentional emotional distress.

Key sued the owner of Flint Memorial Park after the funeral of Desmond Savage Jr., who was killed in a drive-by shooting in 2016.

Key arrived 15 minutes after the scheduled time of the gravesite service. The casket had been lowered in the ground and covered with dirt.

An uncle was present, but he said he didn’t know if other family members would attend.

The appeals court says the incident is “worthy of sympathy” but not extreme enough to support an emotional distress claim.