Aiken County Coroner Admits Accidental Cremation Due Misidentification

The Aiken County Coroner’s Office in South Carolina mistakenly released a misidentified body to a funeral home, which was then cremated in error. The incident occurred on June 23, 2025, and was discovered the following day, prompting Coroner Darryl Ables to notify several authorities including the Aiken County Attorney’s Office, the South Carolina Coroners’ Association, the South Carolina Funeral Directors’ Association, and the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation. The coroner expressed deep remorse to the family affected and accepted full accountability for the mistake, emphasizing the critical importance of accurate identification and verification during the multi-step body release process. The office uses an intake and release log system requiring verification and signatures from both the releasing staff member and the agency receiving custody, and a thorough review is underway to determine how the error occurred and to implement measures to prevent future incidents. Funeral home and crematory involvement has also been addressed as part of the review. This case highlights procedural vulnerabilities in the handling of deceased remains and the commitment by the coroner’s office to improve safeguards.