Louisiana widow feels funeral home disrespected husband's body

MELVILLE, La (KLFY)-- Floyd Davenport Jr.'s body was found in the Atchafalaya Basin in January nearly three weeks after he drowned.

Loubertha Davenport, the victim's wife, now says the Opelousas funeral home did not follow through on the arrangements for her husband.

She says she was told he would be put in a biohazard bag with a solution to preserve it until a casket was chosen.

"We made the arrangements and picked the casket out and he assured us it would be carried out."

Davenport says instead her husband's body was put into a vault without the biohazard bag and says the odor from his body was so strong due to decomposing that even being in a vault did not stop the stench.

"He (the funeral director) abruptly called. He says Mrs. Davenport I will meet to bring your husband's body. I said that's fine and he asked about the funds he was going to be collecting and I explained to him about the funds. He said well I will just bring him in a vault, sealed up and on the back of a truck."

Davenport says she did pay the funeral home, however was told her check did not go through and because he no payment was received, her husband's body was going to be buried in a cemented vault.

We spoke with the owner of the funeral home who told us he did everything he could to help Mrs. Davenport saying he fulfilled his side of the deal.