British parents' horror after son, 39, dies in Cambodia... but repatriated body is a 77-year-old Canadian
The parents of a man, 39, who died in Cambodia have been left horrified after they were sent the body of a Canadian man in his 70s.
Their son Kevin Nightingale, 39, died in May while working as a teacher in Cambodia, with authorities saying he had a heart attack.
When the repatriation of his body was eventually carried out a month later, they arrived at a funeral director's to be met with the body of the wrong man, who was believed to be a 77-year-old Canadian.
By the time Kevin's body arrived in the UK a while after, it was so badly decomposed he was 'almost unrecognisable'.
His parents, Maureen Thompson and Stephen Nightingale, likened the last two months to 'living in a horror movie', saying the ordeal had 'prolonged our heartache and worry'.
Kevin Nightingale (pictured), 39, died in May while working as a teacher in Cambodia, with authorities saying he had a heart attack
His parents, Maureen Thompson and Stephen Nightingale (pictured), likened the last two months to 'living in a horror movie', saying the ordeal had 'prolonged our heartache and worry'
Cambodian company Evergreen Funeral Services, which was responsible for the repatriation, has been contacted for comment. Kevin had been living and teaching in Cambodia's Takéo province for around 10 years.
'He loved his job, he went there and loved his life,' said Ms Thompson, 59, from Nottingham. 'All the kids called him the handsome teacher. He had his whole life ahead of him.'
However, on May 9 she and Mr Nightingale received a call that was every parent's worst nightmare. Kevin had been found dead at his home by a colleague on May 3 after not showing up at work for two days.
Authorities in the country informed his family he had died after falling down the stairs while having a heart attack. 'I can't believe he just passed away. You don't expect your own kids to pass before you,' said Ms Thompson.
Kevin's family had to raise £7,500 in order to bring him home through Evergreen. However, the Cambodian repatriation service reportedly sent the wrong body to Nottingham-based funeral director L.J. Crawley on June 11.
Ms Thompson went with Kevin's brother, Sean, to view who she thought would be her son, only to find a man almost double his age. 'I thought "my God". The shock and horror,' she recalled.
'We couldn't believe what our eyes were seeing. Our minds were everywhere, it was pure panic stations, it was absolutely horrendous.'
Mr Nightingale, 63, was not with them at the time but remembers receiving a harrowing phone call from Sean. 'He said "it's not Kevin" and I said "you're kidding me aren't you?"'
He added: 'I felt sick to my stomach. Everyone's thoughts went to "I hope they've not cremated him".' Kevin's body was eventually sent to the UK but was severely decomposed, according to the family.
On May 9, his parents were told that Kevin had been found dead at his home by a colleague on May 3 after not showing up at work for two days
It meant they had to seal his body in a coffin as soon as it was released by the coroner, as it was 'contaminating' the mortuary of the funeral directors. 'I will never forget it, it was in such a bad way,' said Ms Thompson.
Kevin's family were refunded the repatriation cost by Evergreen but said the mix-up had been an 'absolute nightmare'. The Foreign Office confirmed it had assisted the family of a British man who had died in Cambodia.
'Someone has got to be held accountable for this because it made it all worse. It prolonged our heartache and worry,' said Ms Thompson. 'How the hell did they get it mixed up? It beggars belief. I've never known anything like it in my life.'
Mr Nightingale said: 'We just want someone to hold the can for this. The mistakes made over there must have been horrendous to confuse a 39-year-old with a guy over 70. It's incomprehensible.
'Surely there's custom checks and double-checks and triple-checks they have to do?' Kevin's family are still awaiting the results of swabs taken during a post-mortem in the UK, which they were told could take 18 weeks.
Kevin was buried next to his grandma on July 25. 'He was one of the nicest people you could meet,' added his dad. 'He was a heartbreaker and had a heart of gold.'
