WORCESTER, Mass., Jan. 7 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts official says the state medical examiner's office released the wrong body to a funeral home last month.
John A. Grossman, public safety undersecretary of forensic science and technology, said the mistake occurred on Dec. 26, when the state office handed over the wrong remains to a funeral home in Worcester, Mass., The Boston Globe said Wednesday.
The mistake was not uncovered for days and was the remains were located shortly before they were to be cremated for burial, Grossman added.
"There is no excuse for this," he said of the funerary mix-up.
Grossman said the medical examiner's office technician blamed for the mistake was suspended and transferred to another site. The state official did credit related officials for not attempting to cover up the infraction.
"There was no attempt to cover up as there was a year and a half ago," said Grossman, referring to a similar 2007 event.
The Globe said chief medical examiner Dr. Mark A. Flomenbaum was fired in August 2007 after a body was misplaced by his state office and the mistake went unreported for months until police discovered it buried in another person's grave.
