Ferguson funeral home offering drive-thru visitations for families of COVID-19 victims

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    FERGUSON, MO (KMOV) — More than 50 cars showed up for a visitation service at the Cotten-Branch Mortuary in Ferguson this past weekend.

“They can have as many people as they want to come see them, then they stay in their cars, we stay inside and that way they can come see them without touching the loved ones or touching the family,” said Diamond Cotten- Branch.

Diamond Cotten-Branch, owner of Cotten-Branch Mortuary, said they came up with the concept of a drive-thru visitation service after seeing an increase in families wanting to bury loved ones that have died from COVID-19.

“With us having this, people were resorting to direct burial or cremation, this way they’re having a full service and being able to be viewed and go to the cemetery,” said Cotten-Branch.

Cotten-Branch said in most cases when a loved one dies from coronavirus families are restricted from seeing the body.

“Some people didn’t get to see them at the hospital, so this way they can see them, and everybody wants that closure, needs that closure and we can give that to them,” she said.

County numbers show north St. Louis County has some of tthe highest numbers reported in COVID-19 cases.

Cotten-Branch said they’ve conducted services for nearly 20 COVID-19 cases last month.

According to St. Louis County COVID-19 guidelines, funerals services must not be larger than 10 people.

And it recommends loved ones don’t touch the body.

Cotten-Branch said in her 10 plus years in the mortuary industry, she would have never expected this.

“Now is more difficult because people want to have everybody come and when you can’t do that it’s pressure on us because it’s not us saying no, it’s the world saying no because what’s going on,” she said.

With social distancing orders still in place, Cotten-Branch said they are also offering this service for those who didn’t pass from coronavirus.

For more information on Cotten-Branch Mortuary, visit here.

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