Family Finally Receives Loved One's Ashes | Lafayette Louisiana News

Lafayette Louisiana News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 22, 2026 · 1m

A grieving family in Vermilion Parish is finally getting the ashes of their loved one, Chantelle Romero, after a harrowing 8-month wait and a breakdown in communication with a New Orleans funeral home. Romero died in October 2023 from a drug overdose, and while her family paid for cremation, they faced repeated delays and were left in the dark — until now. Her grandfather, Stephen Menard, says he was told not to call back after the body was picked up, only to later learn the ashes were still in limbo. The funeral home owner, Gary Lewis, claims it was a misunderstanding and offered to…