Isle, MN Mom's Ashes Lost in the Mail

MINNEAPOLIS - An Isle woman’s ashes never arrived in time for her service a week after she was cremated.

On Saturday, family and friends said goodbye to Elissa Swanson. Even as she was eulogized by her three children and 10 brothers and sisters, most of them were unaware the urn was empty and she had missed her own funeral.

“It took away the fact that we could honestly honor her in the room and celebrate everything that she was,” said Swanson’s daughter, Katie. “It took that away from us.”

Katie was expecting her mother's ashes to arrive last Wednesday, three days before the service, but they never showed up.

The tracking number confirms the cremation service in Ohio sent the remains by registered mail, but that's where the trail stops. The package was never scanned again and now Swanson’s ashes are nowhere to be found.

FOX 9 contacted the Columbus postmaster, who was unable to provide any additional details.
Funeral directors say it’s common to ship cremated remains via the U.S. Postal Service because carriers like FedEx and UPS won’t insure the contents.

Ashes being ship must include a certificate of cremation and boxes are typically clearly marked so the carrier is aware of the contents.

One reason ashes are usually mailed is because there are strict rules for transporting cremated remains on airlines. The TSA is not allowed to open an urn and it must able to clear an x-ray screening. And even with the necessary paperwork, many airlines will not allow an urn to be placed in checked baggage.