Kentucky coroner left dead man's body in a hot van overnight, traumatizing family, suit says

A dead man's brother is suing a Kentucky coroner and a half-dozen county officials for reportedly leaving his sibling's body in a hot SUV for an entire day instead of properly storing it in a freezer.

Basill Peyton, of Saylersville, Kentucky, located 90 miles southeast of Lexington, claims former Morgan County Coroner Raymond Vancleave negligently mishandled and abused the corpse of his brother, Nathan Peyton, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.

The man died Dec. 31, and the mishap caused such a stench, his body was not able to be embalmed and he had to be buried in body bag, the suit filed in Morgan County Circuit Court claims. In addition, the suit claims, people got sick from the odor emanating from the man's casket during his Jan. 6 funeral.

Several days after the man died, on a day the lawsuit claims was “unseasonably warm,” the coroner left the body in a body bag inside a hot SUV overnight.

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No access to a freezer or cooling system

The suit claims Vancleave did not have access to a morgue, freezer or cooling systems at any nearby facilities including a hospital because his privileges had been reportedly suspended because he had failed to remove bodies in a timely manner. 

As a result, the body quickly decomposed, causing a 'pungent and putrid' smell to emanate from it.

In addition the Magoffin County Funeral Home was unable to embalm the body, and the dead man's family was forced to have a closed-casket funeral.  

'Multiple pall bearers, visitors and funeral home staff vomited and became ill because of the foul and pungent odor coming from Mr. Peyton's coffin,' the lawsuit reads. 

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Suit seeks jury trial, damages

In addition to Vancleave, the 10-page suit names former Morgan County Judge-Executive John Stacy and current and former county magistrates as defendants, claiming they were careless and should have been aware of the coroner's alleged reckless and negligent actions.

The suit seeks a jury trial, punitive damages and other costs in relation to the case.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior correspondent for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @nataliealund.