USPS loses remains of man's father

October 9 2013

The safe delivery of a package is always expected when you drop it in the mail. In some cases, the contents of the parcel make this expectation extremely important. This could refer to important legal documents, inventory for a weekend sale or the cremated remains of your recently deceased father.

A delivery problem with the latter is currently playing out in Florida and Vermont as a package that was sent between these two locations and contained an urn and the cremated remains of John Shaffer's father had its contents misplaced. When the package arrived in Springfield, Vermont, the box had been severely damaged, was filled with children's clothes and the urn was missing.

According to Shaffer, who was interviewed in a recent article for Vermont news outlet WCAX, as soon as the package arrived he knew something was wrong. His fiance has sent the box from Florida days prior, but what happened in transit is still unknown and an investigation is underway.

"We have a robust investigation ongoing," a statement from the USPS reads. "This includes action in Vermont, Florida and our Mail Recovery Center where unidentified items that become separated from packaging during mail handling are directed."

This kind of situation happening with any package is stressful for sender and receiver. But in some instances, a lost package can be devastating, especially when the contents of the parcel are impossible to replicate. This is why a delivery service with a reliable track record can become a smart alternative to traditional shipping means.