While arranging the transfer of her mother's remains into a private crypt, the woman discovered that the bones she received did not belong to her parent. Furthermore, the family learned that the body had undergone a preservation procedure they did not approve of.
Paula Aparecida Pinheiro's mother, Maria Luiza Pinheiro, passed away in January 2023 at the age of 74. In July of the same year, the woman lost her sister, Mariza Aparecida, who died of lung cancer. Since the family did not yet have a crypt, the remains of both were placed in temporary boxes at the municipal cemetery for three years.
In 2026, Paula began the process of transferring her relatives' remains to a crypt at another cemetery. Upon inspecting the bag intended for her mother, she realized the bones were not hers.
Paula recounted that when she opened her mother's bag, it was not her. She specified that her mother had no teeth and used dentures. She described the discovery: 'On the right side [of the bones] there was a dental crown, on the left—a broken tooth, and there was a piercing on the forehead.'
After filing a complaint with the cemetery administration, Maria Luiza's body was found. However, the family discovered that the remains had undergone a preservation procedure they were unaware of. On the same day, Tuesday, Maria Luiza's remains were handed over to her daughter. Before burial in the new crypt, Paula checked the bag again and recognized her mother's clothing.
She shared her feeling: 'It is a feeling of complete disrespect. What if I hadn't opened the bag? I would have buried someone who does not belong to me at all. I hope this doesn't happen to other people.'
The municipality of Rio Claro expressed regret over the incident and stated that the case did not incur additional costs for the family. Additionally, the municipality denied the fact of embalming, stating that the body underwent a thanatopraxy procedure for hygienic treatment, temporary preservation, and aesthetic improvement of the corpse. The reasons for the bone replacement were not explained.