Woodlawn Memorial Park
Case Synopsis
After California officials shut down Woodlawn Cemetery in Compton due to the discovery of bone fragments, scattered caskets, and unauthorized burials, Arias Sanguinetti filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of affected families. The lead plaintiff alleged that her motherโs single-purchased gravesite had been used to bury multiple individuals before her motherโs deathโa fact she only discovered upon trying to lay her mother to rest. The stateโs Department of Consumer Affairs had launched a parallel investigation, uncovering widespread mishandling of human remains and illegal disinterments. At the request of state officials, attorney Mike Arias initially delayed filing to avoid disrupting the investigation. Once filed, the suit aimed to hold the cemetery accountable for systemic negligence, fraud, and the deep emotional harm caused to families who entrusted Woodlawn with their loved onesโ final resting place. The case helped prompt broader scrutiny and calls for legislative reform.