Expert: Raul Cabrera - 2/26/2008

Question
my husband was from el salvador and he was murdered there this past may but when i went there for his funeral i was not allowed to view his body nor would they even consider cremation so i could bring him "home" with me. as his wife dont i have any rights, or are these customs not practiced there?

Answer
Brandy.

first of all please accept my condolences.

although I donīt know the details, mi fist thought was that you werenīt allowed to see the body because it was a violent death, but I donīt understand why you couldnīt cremate him, because you were the wife and have all the rights to do it, unless there was some hidden interest to avoid it, but you can still ask for an exhumation of the body and even ask for a autopsy and after that make him cremate as you originally wished.

hope this help.

regards.