Tipene Funerals has spoken out after the sentencing of a former staff member, Fiona Bakulich, who misled grieving whānau and failed proper burial protocols.
She was convicted on 13 charges — most relating to financial dishonesty, with one involving the wrong coffin liner used for a tūpāpaku.
Tipene Funerals says every tūpāpaku was placed in a wooden coffin, and they immediately took responsibility when the issue came to light.
They’ve apologised again to affected whānau, corrected misinformation in the media, and say they’ve made changes to ensure this never happens again.
