Timothy Street, the former director of Pine Rest Funeral Home, is being sued by one of the families, claiming he took their money and never purchased headstones for their loved one’s graves.
Street was arrested in June and charged with first-degree financial exploitation of the elderly. The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office said multiple families filed reports against Street.
Deborah Nelson was the first alleged victim to come forward. She has now filed a civil lawsuit against Street seeking a jury trial for compensatory and punitive damages.
After her mother, Dora Amos, passed away, Nelson paid $3,150 for a headstone in January 2024. Her check was cashed, but the headstone never arrived. After hearing various stories about why the headstone wasn’t delivered, Nelson filed a police report and a complaint with the Alabama Board of Funeral Services.
SEE ALSO: Pine Rest Funeral Home Management Changes Amid Headstone Complaints
The five-page civil suit claims negligence, wantonness, outrage, and fraud and claims the actions of Street caused extreme mental anguish and emotional distress.
“Defendant’s conduct in failing to perform their duties was so extreme and outrageous that it should not be tolerated in a civilized society,” the suit states.
Pine Rest Funeral Home is also listed as a defendant in the suit. However, the funeral home’s attorneys asked the court to stay any action until arbitration is completed, citing an agreement the plaintiff signed when she agreed to services in 2023. The contract includes an arbitration provision. Further, attorneys stated the FAA creates a strong federal policy favoring arbitration when interstate commerce is involved.
Since the allegations arose against Street, Pine Rest Funeral Home confirmed he was no longer employed at the location. The funeral home has worked with all affected families to deliver headstones.
Nelson and her family now have a headstone. She credited the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Department with taking her complaint seriously and thanked the funeral home for moving quickly to fill orders after investigators and the news media noticed the complaints.
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