Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson refiled their lawsuit on May 21 against Harrington Funeral Home after dropping it on May 20.
What We Know:
- Kendrick Johnson, 17, was found inside a rolled-up gym mat in 2013 at Lowndes County High School. Johnson’s death was ruled an accident caused by “positional asphyxia.” However, Johnson’s parents had a second autopsy done by an independent pathologist, who ruled the death a homicide due to “blunt force trauma.” According to the Valdosta Daily Times, it was also discovered that Kendrick’s body had been stuffed with old newspapers.
- Johnson’s parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Lowndes County Board of Education. However, the case was dismissed by US District Court Judge W. Louis Sands because the Johnson’s didn’t serve the defendants with their lawsuit in time, CNN reported.
- They also filed a civil lawsuit in 2015 for $100 million against 38 individuals including State and local officials. The suit alleged that their son was murdered and authorities covered up the crime.
- The new lawsuit, that had originally been filed in 2014, claims that their son’s organs, brain, and clothes were disposed by the funeral director, Antonio Harrington, in an attempt to “interfere” with the investigation.
In 2014, the Johnson family made a complaint to the Georgia Board of Funeral Service, but the board found no signs of “wrongdoing.” In a letter, the board stated that using newspaper to fill the body wasn’t the “best practice,” however, filling a body cavity “is a necessary preparation to present a deceased body for public viewing.”
