Airline sends wrong body to family

Delta Airlines has apologised after they shipped the wrong body to a grieving family. Picture: James Morgan 

STANLEY Williams, 50, died when he was hit by a car trying to cross the road. His body was shipped home by Delta airlines. But to the horror of his grieving family, they sent the wrong body.

"It's hard enough that you have to bury one of your loved ones, and then to find out that the airline screwed up and prolonged the process, it's crazy, it's unbelievable," Mr Stanley’s friend Josette Cerutti told ABC news. 

"He's resting, but not at peace."

The mistake apparently occurred when shipping clerks attached the wrong shipping label onto Mr Williams's casket. 

That casket, known as an airtray, clearly had Mr Williams's name and flight information written on it by the funeral director. 

"It says to me that the workers at LaGuardia Airport have a very laissez-faire attitude when it comes to dealing with human remains because they took the wrong paperwork and they put it on the wrong airtray which never should have happened because the name of the deceased and everything was written on the airtray," Keith Davis from Griffin-Peters Funeral Home told ABC.

Delta Airlines issued a statement apologising to the family, saying they "deeply regret the unfortunate situation".

"We are investigating the matter and will work closely with the family during this difficult time," a Delta spokesperson said. 

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Dogfight as council destroys family pet

Macey was destroyed by the Burdekin Shire Council after a three-month legal battle with owner Jacqueline Hartwell. Source: The Courier-Mail

A NORTH Queensland single mother says her family's pet dog was put down, despite council staff giving her an extension to pay pound fees she owed - and she wants her money back.

Jacqueline Hartwell, of Ayr, said her two children were heartbroken at the loss of their pet and she now owed more than $1700 she had borrowed to release bull arab Macey from death row.

She said her children had been excited when they thought they could take their dog home after three months in the pound; instead, they went home in tears on April 3.

"They had balloons and streamers set up for Macey at home," Ms Hartwell said.

Burdekin Shire Council chief executive Ken Holt said he had no regrets about destroying the "dangerous dog" that had been involved in killing a neighbour's chihuahua.

He said Ms Hartwell had a poor history of managing her dogs.

The council seized Macey three months ago after Ms Hartwell failed to post dangerous dog signs, microchip the dog or pay registration fees.

She went to Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which said she could get Macey back if she paid $1934 by 4pm on April 2.

Ms Hartwell said on the deadline day she paid $900 of the $1556 still owed for pound fees.

"I said to the girls on the counter 'Can I pay the final $650 tomorrow morning?' and they made some calls and said it was OK, as long as I paid by 10am," she said.

Ms Hartwell said after she arrived at 9am and paid $650 she was told she could not get Macey back. She said Mr Holt came to the foyer and said: "The dog's dead."

Mr Holt denied that claim, saying he only told her she would not get the dog back because she had failed to meet the deadline. He said it was only later that day that he ordered the dog to be put down and she still owed the council money.

"This is a woman who should never have dogs," Mr Holt said.

Ms Hartwell has hired a lawyer to recover the money she paid.

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Soccer star helps out fire family

TRAGIC LOSS: Jerry Lale with his children Lafoai and Eva, and cousin Tagisa. Picture: Mark Calleja Source: The Courier-Mail

IT was a ray of hope in the darkest hour for the Lale and Taufa families. Now they want to say thank you.

Jerry Lale, 32, lost 11 extended family members in a devastating house fire at Slacks Creek on August 24, 2011.

As he grieved for those who perished in the blaze, Socceroo Tim Cahill made a decision to help the family.

The former Everton player contacted a friend of Mr Lale with a generous offer.

"Tim got in touch with my mate who works in sports management and said he wanted to donate, but on the condition there was no media attention," he said. "He donated a match fee to our family, which was $10,000.

"He was very gracious in the way that he did it."

Mr Lale said he respected Cahill's request to keep the donation private, but feels that 18 months on, it's time to thank him publicly.

In a Twitter exchange on Tuesday, Mr Lale thanked the football player for his generosity, calling Cahill a man of deep conviction and humility.

Cahill sent an equally emotional reply a short time later: "It was my pleasure and it tore many hearts to see such a tragedy take place. It was from the heart brother."

Cahill, who is in Sydney preparing for next week's World Cup qualifier against Oman, said he was pleased he could make a difference at such a difficult time.

"When an event like that happens in our community, it's natural for people to want to help each other out," he said. "I'm happy that I could play a part in helping the family too."

Mr Lale said Cahill was already a hero to many of his friends and family.

Mr Lale hopes to one day shake the hand of the man who, along with many others, helped his family after the devastating blaze.

"Tim has suggested that maybe we could meet up some time," he said. "It would be an absolute highlight for our family to meet Tim when he next comes to town. We will always remember what he did for us."

Mr Lale said Cahill's gift was one of many the family received in the flood of support that followed the tragedy.

"People we don't even know were so generous," he said.

"We truly witnessed the Aussie spirit".

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Deep scratches had family, friends curious

ALLISON Baden-Clay: the committal hearing of her husband Gerard starts Monday, March 11. Source: The Courier-Mail

DAY one of the a six-day hearing to determine whether Gerard Baden-Clay will face trial for the murder of his wife is under way.

9.55am: The first witness to take the stand is Kerry-Anne Walker, a close friend of Allison Baden-Clay's.

Ms Walker, a Flight Centre travel agent, provided two statements to police - one after she was reported missing and a second after her body was found.

Defence barrister Peter Davis asked Ms Walker whether she believed Baden-Clay was a suspect when she first gave a statement.

She said Baden-Clay had told her police would point the finger at him.

"Gerard mentioned to me the morning he arrived that police would suspect him," she said.

Mr Davis said Ms Walker had made many observations about the couple's relationship in her second statement.

"Allison and I had numerous conversations over numerous years," she said.

"It was what I felt I needed to speak to the police about."

9.47am: The prosecution case against Baden-Clay is a circumstantial one, prosecutor Danny Boyle has told the court.

He said the Crown considered Baden-Clay had two motives for killing his wife.

The first was the marital problems he was experiencing with Allison.

Mr Boyle said although Baden-Clay had told police he had ended his affair with former work colleague Toni McHugh, there was evidence it was still ongoing.

He said an email sent to Ms McHugh promised he would leave his wife so they could be together by July 1.

The court heard Mr Baden-Clay was also in serious financial difficulty - with debts amounting to $975,000.

9.38am: The gallery caught a brief glimpse of Baden-Clay when his lawyer asked him for some instructions.

Baden-Clay is clean-shaven with neatly trimmed hair and wearing a dark suit and dark-rimmed glasses.

9.25am: The court has heard that one witness, Carmel Ritchie, is separately represented by a lawyer after she was summonsed to give evidence.

Ms Ritchie, a counsellor with relationships Australia, will argue that any documentation or evidence she could give, would be inadmissible in court.

"It is conceded that she is compelled by way of summons but anything she has to say is inadmissible in these proceedings," Ms Ritchie's lawyer told the court.

Peter Davis, for Baden-Clay, said his client did not consent to waiving any "privilege" from the counselling sessions.

The argument over whether Ms Ritchie will be compelled to give evidence on private counselling sessions will be heard next Wednesday.

9.20am: Prosecutor Danny Boyle has told the court 42 witnesses will be called throughout the hearing and 330 statements will be tendered.

Baden-Clay has arrived in court but is hiding from view of the public gallery in the corner of a glassed-in box.

Allison Baden-Clay, 43, was reported missing by her husband on April 20, 2012.

Her body was found 10 days later on the banks of the Kholo Creek at Anstead.

Baden-Clay, 42, was charged with her murder and interfering with a corpse two months later.

Forty-three witnesses, including friends, business partners and staff are expected to be called in the high-profile case.

• Refresh this page for rolling coverage of the hearing during the day

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