The mother of Zah’Layah Walton — the five-year-old girl shot and killed in a case of suspected mistaken identity — says her grief is compounded.
She claims a funeral home tried to take advantage of her family during their loss.
Thursday, she and community activists shared their story and offered a warning to others experiencing a similar loss: Pay closer attention, and don’t believe everything you’re told.
The family accused Pruitt’s Funeral Home in the Heights of promising to handle Zah’Layah’s funeral arrangements pro bono — only to later be given an invoice totaling nearly $10,000.
The funeral home disputes the claims, saying by law, it had to provide an itemized statement. Zah’Layah’s family says funeral home broke its promise
Monica Hicks says her five-year-old daughter was taken from the medical examiner’s office and brought to Pruitt’s Funeral Home in the Heights.
But Hicks says broken promises forced the family to remove her daughter’s remains and take them to another funeral home.
“Just because my daughter’s heart stopped beating is not me, not stop being a mother,” Hicks said.
Saturday, investigators say Jeremy Porter fired shots — unprovoked — through the family’s car, hitting Zah’Layah in the head.
Monday, community members held a vigil for the little girl. It was what the funeral director said at that vigil that Hicks says caused her outrage.
“We reached out to the family and asked if we could do the services pro bono. And family we will be taking care of the arrangements at Pruitt in the Heights for baby girl Zah’layah,” the funeral director said during Monday’s vigil.
The family says, moved by the gesture, they allowed the funeral home to begin making arrangements.
They say they planned on using crime victims’ support and fundraiser funds to help pay for the burial. That’s until they say they received an invoice.
Community activist Candice Matthews confronted the funeral home over the bill.
“You came to the media and stated that you were going to provide pro bono services for this family, but then you turn around and try to shake them down with a $9,000 to $10,000 invoice,” Matthews said.
The funeral director later approached the group and requested that everyone speak inside the funeral home. That request was refused. The funeral home says the invoice was not wrongdoing.
“Itemized statement. That is by law, I’m supposed to give you a funeral contract. So there was nothing done wrong. Mom did authorize us to pick up your daughter,” the funeral home said.
Hicks says the funeral home reached out almost immediately, and in a moment of grief, she held on to those words about providing the services for free.
Community member Quanell X says no mother should have to experience what Hicks is going through.
“But what this mother suffered, no mother should ever have to go through. What this mother is enduring and our family is living with today is beyond speaking to the pain and suffering of this mother,” said community activist Quanell X.
Now, Hicks still remembers her daughter.
“She was the light of my life, which is why I’m standing here right now.”
The funeral home says everything on its end was up to standard. The family has been told the funeral home’s attorney will be working on providing a statement.
Hicks and her family are still working to raise money for Zah’Layah’s funeral and burial plot.
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