The numbness of grief, the feeling of loneliness, and the reliance of faith when in despair are common humanly reactions, that may be anyone’s reality by chance. We live in an era, where “moving on” and “letting go” are default expectations after the death of a loved one. But what if a son did not want to be separated from his deceased father; what if faith was stronger than death. Recently, the Associated Press reported a strange case of a distraught son who wasn’t quite ready to let his father go.

The two unidentified brothers, aged 38 and 48, allegedly stole their father’s coffin after the burial ceremony had been delayed due to heavy rain. The elder brother particularly had an exceptionally hard time accepting his father’s passing especially after the recent death of his mother. Nevertheless, both sons of the late 92-year-old Clarence Street, were arrested after police officers found an empty casket inside their van at the Citgo gas station, a mile away from the location where the body was soon discovered.

This bizarre situation started to unfold as the Detroit police was notified that a white van and a purple pickup entered the Gethsemane Cemetery and allegedly left with a casket from the mausoleum. According to Detroit news, the estimated time of disappearance was between 8 am and 9:30 am on Monday. The next day, officers tracked the van and found the vacant coffin, then later the body of Mr. Street. That morning the body was found “intact and unharmed” in a freezer belonging to the elder brother in the basement of a two-story wooden house located on the 4600 block of Eastlawn Street.

Lieutenant Harold Rochon told Detroit news that the 48-year-old Detroit man, “was very, very, very distraught; he is very religious, and he was hoping his father would be resurrected. He was hoping for a miracle.” The 48-year-old brother is believed to have mental problems according to investigators after an interview was conducted. The police refused to reveal the names of the two brothers and had not charged them with anything yet as the investigation is still ongoing.

Initially, the burial ceremony was scheduled to be on Saturday but was delayed until Monday due to a storm. Currently, Mr. Street’s body rests is in the Detroit Swanson Funeral Home. According to Mr. Rochon, the burial has been rescheduled and now, family members are looking for another casket. If found guilty, the brothers may be charged with disinterment, a crime that may resort up to 10 years in prison. Currently, the men are undergoing a forensic examination to determine whether they should be charged or not.

From dust we were created, and to dust we shall return. Sometimes people have a hard time coping with grief and being separated from recently deceased loved ones. And sometimes people have a really, really hard time coping with grief, hence the case of the Street was born.

Image Courtesy : MudflapDC

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About the author

Yasmin Pascual Khalil
Being an Egyptian/Filipino, Yasmin was born in Oman and raised in Saudi Arabia, with a open mindset in appreciation of diversity. She loves exploring languages and interacting with people from all walks of life. Yasmin has covered stories in the following categories: Local + World News, Entertainment News, Offbeat News, and Lifestyle. She can be contacted at yasmin.khalil@toonarimedia.com.