One woman was left in complete shock after she visited a museum exhibit in Las Vegas, as she believes that her son, who committed suicide over a decade ago, had been included as part of the display.
Kim Erick was stunned to see a face that seemingly resembled her son, Chris, in a Las Vegas 'Real Bodies' exhibition, as she's now genuinely convinced that his body was used despite the fact he had died back in 2012.
It was initially believed that Chris Todd Erick had died after suffering from two heart attacks in his sleep, which had been caused by a heart defect, yet his mother believed that wasn't the case and pressed the police for further details.
She claims that case materials provided by the police contained images of a chair with straps attached, as reported by UNILAD, and that his body had been covered in bruises and lacerations when he died.
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One key additional detail was that he appeared to have noticeable dry cyanide salt on his lips, which was ultimately proved to be the case after a medical examiner tested a vial of his blood, confirming a lethal dose of the deadly poison in his system.
Police then changed the cause of his death to a suicide, ruling that it was due to 'undetermined means', yet it appears over 13 years later she still hasn't been spared the grief from her son's death.
Speaking to the Sun, Kim detailed that she "knew it was him. It was so unbelievably painful to look at. My words cannot describe how this shook me and my family to its core."
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The Real Bodies exhibition in question saw 'deconstructed human bodies displayed, often with muscles, bones, and organs visible to attendees. Many of the figures present in the exhibit featured 'faces', and it is this that prompted Kim to come to this unexpected conclusion.
"I was actually looking at pictures of my son's skinned, butchered body," she added. "It is gut-wrenching."
However, the exhibit has denied these claims, noting that there "is no factual basis for these allegations. We extend our sympathy to the family, but the referenced specimen cannot be associated with the individual named in these claims."
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In addition, Imagine Exhibitions, Inc. – the company behind Real Bodies – noted that while they "extend our sympathy to the family," there is "no factual basis for these allegations.
"The referenced specimen has been on continuous display in Las Vegas since 2004 and cannot be associated with the individual named in these claims. All specimens are ethically sourced and biologically unidentifiable.
"We remain committed to ensuring that all exhibits meet the highest ethical and legal standards."