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'My father's ashes went missing in the post from US to Doncaster' 'My father's ashes went missing in the post from US to Doncaster'
(about 2 hours later)
Lisa Barrett said the ashes were sent to her as she had struggled to come to terms with his deathLisa Barrett said the ashes were sent to her as she had struggled to come to terms with his death
A woman from the US whose father's ashes were sent to her following his death has criticised Royal Mail after the package was lost in the post. A grieving daughter who says her father's ashes were lost in the post in a transatlantic mix-up has criticised the Royal Mail for their disappearance.
Lisa Barrett, 63, moved to Doncaster, South Yorkshire, from Missouri in 2001, and said her father Kenneth Wilson had died in the US of natural causes aged 85 in 2021. Lisa Barrett, 63, said her sister in the US had sent her dad's ashes to her home in South Yorkshire late last year but she had never received them.
Her sister had sent her the ashes as she was unable to attend the funeral and Ms Barrett said it was not just an "everyday package" which had been lost. The Royal Mail said the parcel arrived in Doncaster in early January, but was later returned to the US after exceeding its retention period as the customs fee was not paid. However, the United States Postal Service said it never received the parcel.
Royal Mail said it arrived at Doncaster delivery office on 3 January, but exceeded its retention period because the customs fee was not paid and was returned to the sender on 25 January. Ms Barrett said she was never told she needed to pay the duty or where to collect the package, adding: "This has got my family torn up on two continents."
However, Ms Barrett claimed she was not notified that she needed to pay the duty or told where to collect the package from. Ms Barrett, who moved from Missouri to Doncaster in 2001, said her father, Kenneth Wilson, had died in 2021 in the US of natural causes aged 85.
The United States Postal Service said it never received the ashes back. She said she had not been able to return to the US for his funeral due to financial reasons and her own health complications, and she had since been unable to find closure.
The missing urn is around 3 inches (7.6 cm) tall and within the Royal Mail's limits of 50g or less for human remains.
Kenneth Wilson died in 2021 from natural causes and his ashes were sent to his daughter in the UK
Ms Barrett said she had been unable to find closure after her father's death and had not been able to return to the US for his funeral due to financial reasons and her own health complications.
"A part of me still wants to pick up the phone and call him - it hasn't hit me even yet," she said."A part of me still wants to pick up the phone and call him - it hasn't hit me even yet," she said.
Her sister, Laura Greeno, 56, had decided to send her the ashes because she knew Ms Barrett was struggling. Kenneth Wilson died in 2021 from natural causes and his ashes were sent to his daughter in the UK
Ms Barrett said: "When I found out Laura was sending me a piece of Dad, I didn't know how to say thank you, it was just such a precious thing." With that in mind, Ms Barrett said her sister, Laura Greeno, 56, had decided to send her the ashes from the US.
Her sister had cared for their father in his final years and said she wanted Ms Barrett to have "a part of him" as well. Ms Barrett said: "When I found out Laura was sending me a piece of Dad, I didn't know how to say thank you. It was just such a precious thing."
They said they were both frustrated at being unable to recover the ashes. Her sister had cared for their father in his final years and said she wanted Ms Barrett to have "a part of him" as well, Ms Barrett said.
Ms Barrett added: "Royal Mail needs to realise these things affect people's lives. The missing urn containing the ashes was about 3ins (7.6 cm) tall and within the Royal Mail's limits of 50g or less for human remains, according to Ms Barrett.
She said it was not just an "everyday package" which had been lost in transit - and both sisters were frustrated and upset at being unable to recover their father's ashes.
Ms Barrett said: "The Royal Mail needs to realise these things affect people's lives.
"This has got my family torn up on two continents.""This has got my family torn up on two continents."
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: "We are actively working to discover the whereabouts of this important item.A Royal Mail spokesperson said: "We are actively working to discover the whereabouts of this important item.
"We will engage with the customer to advise on the measures we're taking.""We will engage with the customer to advise on the measures we're taking."
Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds or catch up with the latest episode of Look North.Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds or catch up with the latest episode of Look North.