Body Mistakenly Delivered To Philly Pet Shop

Mar 10, 2009 11:34 pm US/Eastern

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PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ?

 A Philadelphia pet shop expected a shipment of exotic fish, but instead received the body of a California man.

  A Philadelphia pet shop expecting a shipment of exotic fish instead received a much more disturbing delivery Tuesday.

Philadelphia Police were called to Pets Plus USA on the Roosevelt Boulevard after reports of a large package containing the body of a man in his 60s.

Mark Arabia of Pets Plus USA said an employee attempted to pick up a delivery of exotic fish from US Airways Monday night, but was turned away when he could not provide correct identification.

A second attempt to pickup up the delicate sea creatures was made Tuesday morning, but this time the wrong package was loaded into the delivery vehicle.

After returning to the pet store, it was discovered the package was not aquatic life, but the body of Jon Kenoyer from Santee, California. The 65-year-old died of Alzheimer's on Friday.

"Instead of fish, they sent us a dead person," Arabia said.
Kenoyer's body was apparently intended for a research company Lifequest in Allentown. His wife donated his body to the facility to study Alzheimer's.

"At first, I was in the state of shock that they messed up to begin with, I wondered where he was going or how he got there," Kenoyer's widow Mary Ellen said. "And then I started to laugh because he was one that always did practical jokes and I said this was the last joke on us."

US Airways officials said the incident was an unfortunate mistake and released the following statement:

"Regrettably, there was an unfortunate mix up today (Tuesday) at the US Airways Cargo facility near Philadelphia International Airport. The mix up occurred due to a verbal miscommunication between a delivery driver and the cargo representative. We are working to rectify the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience this has caused."

Kenoyer's body was eventually sent to Lifequest.

The fish are not believed to have survived the mishap. The incident remains under investigation.