Lawsuit claims funeral home accidentally cremated Central Ohio woman

The relatives of a Central Ohio woman who passed away last year are suing a Hilliard funeral home, alleging their family member was mistakenly cremated.

According to a lawsuit filed in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, the Hilliard location of Tidd Funeral Home–which is named as a defendant in the case, alongside Rick Tidd, Joshua Tidd and others–cremated the body of Nancy Anders, “against her express wishes and without authorization from the Family.”

The filing notes that Anders passed away in late May of 2025, and the Anders family contacted Tibbs funeral home to carry out plans she had made to be buried next to her late husband, Jack Anders.

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When family members returned to the Hilliard funeral home in early June of 2025, according to the filing, they learned their mother had been cremated, which allegedly caused them “sleepless nights…physical illness and emotional trauma, serious injury, and…severe mental anguish.”

The lawsuit claims that cremation was “expressly contrary to [Nancy Anders’] personal beliefs.” The suit also states that she “meticulously” made arrangements following her husband’s passing in March of 2023, and that she had made plans with the funeral home for her burial in January of 2024. The filing claims that Joshua Tidd “commented on the thoroughness of their mother’s plans and praised her organization” during a May 29 meeting.

The family is seeking monetary compensation of more than $25,000, and is asking for a jury trial.

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