The Postal Service apologized for the delay, but said no remains were lost.
The cremated remains of a U.S. Army veteran, sent by mail, were delayed for days, according to the late veteran’s family, to reach their final destination, and they say Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is to blame.
Army veteran Scott Egan died in July in St. Louis. His sister, Dr. Jean Egan, told New Haven, Connecticut, ABC affiliate WTNH that his remains would be handed over to her other sister in Maryland within two days of dispatch.
However, she said the remains had been lost for 12 days and the postal service provided no reason.
“If Postmaster General DeJoy can not do his duty to the American public, and military families like mine, he should be removed from his post,” Egan, a Connecticut resident, told a news conference Friday. Richard Blumenthal, D -Conn.
Egan said the remains were eventually handed over to her sister in Maryland, but the family is still looking for an explanation as to why the remains took nearly two weeks to arrive.
Blumenthal praised the Maryland postal worker who delivered the leftovers, saying she “drove two hours each way, without overtime, to deliver those leftovers to Jean’s sister.”
The U.S. Postal Service said in a statement to ABC News that it apologized for the delay, although the agency said the package was never lost.
“The postal service is blaming the family for the delay,” according to the statement. “There was misrepresentation at the point of dispatch and we are working with our staff around the state to raise awareness again in proper procedures for treating cremated remains.”
Egan said she did not contact the Postal Service.
DeJoy has come under fire for allegedly making changes to the agency’s operations to help boost President Donald Trump’s re-election in November. DeJoy, a former executive logistics and longtime Republican financier, appeared before lawmakers Friday, calling those allegations “scandalous.”
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to correct the timeline of what happened to the remnants between Connecticut and Maryland. The spelling of the late veteran’s first name has been corrected on Scott Egan. The header has been updated to accurately reflect the remains of one veteran if lost.
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