Family Discovers Cremated Loved One Is Alive After Seven Months

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A family in Rochester, New York, is grappling with the shocking revelation that their missing loved one, Shanice Crews, who they believed to have died from a drug overdose, is alive. The misidentification occurred after police found a body in February 2024 and erroneously reported it to her family, leading them to hold a memorial service and cremate what they thought were her remains.

According to reports, Crews, 28, had been missing since July 6, 2021, and police informed her family of her “death” based on an autopsy that cited high levels of cocaine. Shanica Hopkins, Crews' sister, expressed her disbelief upon receiving the news, describing the experience of reading the autopsy report as traumatic.

The situation took a bizarre turn in November 2024 when a stranger sent Hopkins a picture of Crews, stating she was alive and had participated in a volunteer event. Despite confirming the identity of the cremated remains, the Monroe County Medical Examiner's Office offered to reimburse the family for the funeral expenses. However, the family is seeking legal representation instead, asserting that the initial mishandling of the case was deeply distressing.

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