Rhode Island
Only on 10: Rhode Island family speaks out after wrong body was buried
A Providence family has filed a lawsuit against Rhode Island Hospital and Bell Funeral Home, alleging a devastating mistake that led them to bury the wrong person after a loved one died following a Christmas Day fire.
Emilia Severino died Dec. 30 at Rhode Island Hospital, days after the fire, according to her family.
Her niece, Joselyn, spoke exclusively with the NBC 10. She asked that her face be concealed during the interview.
“She did not deserve nothing that happened to her, not the fire. Not the way she was buried. She did not deserve that,” Joselyn said.
According to a Superior Court lawsuit, when Bell Funeral Home went to retrieve Severino’s body from Rhode Island Hospital, the hospital released the wrong remains.
The Severino family told the NBC 10 I-Team that Emilia Severino died at Rhode Island Hospital on Dec. 30 from smoke inhalation after a Christmas Day fire. (Severino)
The family held a closed-casket, graveside burial on Jan. 19.
Joselyn said she asked her father to identify her aunt’s body before the casket was closed but was told by the funeral home that the body was not viewable because of its condition.
“The director of the funeral home was trying to close the casket, and we’re all there witnessing this,” Joselyn explained. “And in that moment, I look and I see a black bag. I was confused as to what was going on.”
The family prayed over the casket and watched it lowered into the ground.
“And it wasn’t her,” Joselyn said.
Days later, Joselyn said she received a call from the cemetery.
“I thought it was a joke. I honestly thought it was, I was like, there’s just no way,” she said.
The lawsuit states that on Jan. 20, Rhode Island Hospital’s chief pathologist notified the family of the error. The lawsuit also alleges the hospital and funeral home initially wanted to “switch” the bodies without informing the family, but the cemetery would not exhume the body without the family’s permission.
Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (WJAR)
Joselyn said she initially refused but eventually agreed. When they returned to the cemetery, the casket had already been raised.
“We were just a mess,” she said. “We prayed over somebody. I don’t know what their religious beliefs are. I don’t know what their family’s going through.”
Joselyn said her aunt’s body had remained at Rhode Island Hospital the entire time the other person was buried.
When the correct body was returned to the family, Joselyn said Severino was still in the condition she was in at the hospital.
“She was naked. It was just horrible,” Joselyn said. “You should not have IVs still in your body with blood in it. That’s horrible to see that.”
She said only two family members were present for the final burial.
“We have to re-grieve everything,” she said.
Both Rhode Island Hospital and Bell Funeral Home are named in the lawsuit.
Rhode Island Hospital confirmed that an error occurred.
In a statement to NBC 10, the hospital said:
An error occurred in Rhode Island Hospital’s morgue on January 15th where a decedent was released to the wrong funeral home. The hospital contacted the families impacted by this incident to extend our deepest sympathies and apologies. Once we became aware of this error, the hospital immediately initiated a comprehensive internal review. As a result of that review, the employee involved was let go. While Rhode Island Hospital has strict policies and procedures governing all morgue operations, we are committed to strengthening our processes, including implementing additional safeguards, to ensure this does not happen again. Due to patient privacy laws, Rhode Island Hospital is unable to provide additional details at this time.
“An error occurred in Rhode Island Hospital’s morgue on January 15th where a decedent was released to the wrong funeral home. The hospital contacted the families impacted by this incident to extend our deepest sympathies and apologies.
Once we became aware of this error, the hospital immediately initiated a comprehensive internal review. As a result of that review, the employee involved was let go. While Rhode Island Hospital has strict policies and procedures governing all morgue operations, we are committed to strengthening our processes, including implementing additional safeguards, to ensure this does not happen again.
Due to patient privacy laws, Rhode Island Hospital is unable to provide additional details at this time.”
“I don’t know what their protocols are in their hospital, but I can tell you that much that day, it wasn’t it.” said Joselyn.
Bell Funeral Home Director Christine Cardozo told the NBC10 I-Team that when staff arrived at the hospital, employees searched multiple morgue locations before producing a body.
“We went to Rhode Island Hospital to pick up the body and when we got there, they went into morgue number one and they couldn’t find her,” Cardozo said in an interview with NBC10s Tamara Sacharczyk.
Cardozo said she relied on hospital paperwork and identification tags.
“On the paperwork that we signed, stated that she is the person inside of that body bag,” she said.
Bell Funeral Home. (WJAR)
Cardozo said the body was decomposed and unrecognizable and that she believed Severino had died from smoke inhalation, not severe burns.
When asked who was at fault, Cardozo responded, “The hospital. They’ve admitted fault they’re the ones who bring you the body.”
Joselyn blames them both.
“Bell didn’t take accountability Rhode Island Hospital is saying it’s Bell and I say it’s both,” she said.
Joselyn said the mistake has compounded the family’s grief.
“It’s hard for the whole entire family,” Joselyn said. “They all need to do better. They really, really, really do.”
The lawsuit remains pending in Superior Court.
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Republican candidate for lieutenant governor John Loughlin wants the office to become the Rhode Island inspector general his party has been seeking in vain for years.
Loughlin, a former state representative, said on May 11 that, if elected, he would staff the underutilized office with people who would help him expose “fraud, waste, abuse, and government corruption.”
“Rhode Islanders are sick and tired of watching their tax dollars disappear into a black hole of inefficiency, cronyism, and outright corruption while the General Assembly talks a big game but delivers nothing − year after year after year,” Loughlin said in a news release. “For more than two decades, the legislature has failed to create a true Inspector General with real investigative power. Enough is enough. If they won’t do it, the Lieutenant Governor’s Office will − starting on day one.”
Why turn the lieutenant governor into an inspector general?
The Rhode Island Constitution gives the lieutenant governor little to no authority beyond being available in case the governor is unable to finish their term. That’s prompted some to call it a “do nothing” office and others to propose abolishing it.
“Frankly, the current workload of the office leaves ample time and resources to do far more for taxpayers than ceremonial appearances and ribbon-cuttings,” Loughlin said in his news release. “Rhode Islanders deserve a Lieutenant Governor’s Office that works every day to protect their money and hold government accountable.”
The lieutenant governor’s office has a budget of $1.4 million, which Loughlin said is enough to staff and run an effective investigative team made up of “certified auditors, investigators, and compliance professionals” to review state agency spending and contracts.
He acknowledged that the lieutenant governor does not have subpoena power, but believes that investigations can be completed utilizing public records requests and gathering publicly-available data.
Loughlin, who ended his talk radio show earlier this year when he announced his campaign for governor, said he would communicate his findings through “RI Report” publications, news briefings and podcasts.
He said he would also make the office’s resources available to city and town leaders.
Republicans have been fighting for an inspector general
Rhode Island Republicans have for years promised to lower state spending by rooting out government waste, fraud and abuse. The last GOP Rhode Island governor, Donald Carcieri, launched a “Fiscal Fitness” program that aimed to save money and find efficiencies.
Democrats criticized Carcieri’s tenure for featuring exorbitant privatization and outsourcing.
Since Carcieri, the idea of creating an independent inspector general similar to those in other states has become a holy grail for Rhode Island Republicans, but the Democratic General Assembly has had little interest in it.
“If our office saves just 1% from Rhode Island’s bloated state budget, the savings would return more than ten times the entire cost of the Lieutenant Governor’s Office to taxpayers – and that’s only the beginning,” Loughlin said in the news release.
The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 10, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Numbers numbers from May 10 drawing
Midday: 9-9-9-0
Evening: 5-5-0-9
Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Wild Money numbers from May 10 drawing
01-13-14-16-32, Extra: 02
Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 10 drawing
01-03-20-35-46, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
- Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
- Winners of the Millionaire for Life top prize of $1,000,000 a year for life and second prize of $100,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.
When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. ET daily.
- Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
- Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
- Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Watch: Khano Smith speaks with media after RIFC drew Tampa Bay
Watch as Khano Smith speaks with media after RIFC drew Tampa Bay
PAWTUCKET — JJ Williams finally had his space and rose to the opportunity.
The Rhode Island FC striker, deep in the attacking zone, came back to a cross and headed Nick Scardina’s service to the near post to salvage the night for Rhode Island. Williams’ goal landed in the 86th minute to draw Tampa Bay Rowdies, 1-1, in rain-soaked Pawtucket.
It’s the third draw in USL Championship play for Rhode Island at Centreville Bank Stadium this season. RIFC was turning in a familiar performance before snagging the tie against the league-leading Rowdies as Williams supplied his third regular-season goal of the year. The draw is the first time RIFC has earned a result after the opposition opened the scoring since its 1-1 tie vs. Birmingham Legion FC on July 5, 2025.
Rhode Island now travels to USL League One side Portland Hearts of Pine for its second game of the 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup group stage on Saturday, May 16 at 4 p.m. The club returns to Pawtucket on May 23 against Brooklyn FC.
“All night they made it tough because they were doubling,” Williams said of Tampa Bay. “And wherever I went to, they were going contact first, especially in this league with no [Video Assistant Referee] … but on that one, the ball was so good that they spun around, and then I was able to make good contact.”
Rhode Island had a string of missed chances in the first 15 minutes that fed into a goal for Tampa Bay and then a triple substitution in the second half that provided little spark. Max Schneider’s cross from right of the box found Pedro Dolabella at the far post for a clinical header in the 29th minute in front of an announced attendance of 6,790.
The game’s first score came just 10 minutes after attempts from Hugo Bacharach and Jojea Kwizera were saved and Williams sailed an open shot past the bar.
“We tried to correct some of those things that we struggled with last week,” Williams said. “Getting to the ball, making tackles, making a stick, I think that we weren’t as clean in possession as we would have been, especially as we won the ball and played forward. We had a lot of turnovers in the first half where we could have seen more chances, but we did well to weather the storm early and create some. But for me, I [have] to bury that first one.”
Rhode Island creates plenty of chances — it is tied for fourth with 112 attempts — but has just 12 goals this season. If it had finished one of the early chances against Tampa Bay, it would’ve shifted the tenor of the match and forced the visitors to play outside of its form. But the final scoring sequence is still missing with the summer months coming soon.
“Happy with the spirit, happy with the effort, happy with the fight,” RIFC coach Khano Smith said. “You’ve seen that a lot with our team. They just fought to the end, never gave up, kept pushing. Ultimately, it’s two more points dropped at home, and we need to find a way to stop doing that. We need to be ruthless – just ruthless in front of the goal.”
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