A mistake at the state Medical Examiner's office resulted in the wrong body being buried in the grave of one of the victims of a Jackson County fire earlier this month, a state official said Wednesday.

Joseph Allen Starcher II, 4, and Victoria Hope Starcher, 2, died in the fire at their home in Cottageville on Feb. 8. The family held funeral services on Feb. 15.

Because of an employee's error, the remains of an adult woman who was the victim of a different fire were released in place of the little girl's, said Department of Health and Human Resources spokesman John Law.

The mistake was discovered earlier this week during a routine office check, which revealed that Victoria Starcher's remains were still at the medical examiner's office, he said.

On Tuesday, Dr. James Kaplan, the state's chief medical examiner, and state Bureau of Public Health acting chief Ron Forren met with the children's parents, Joseph Starcher and Tammy Scarberry, and explained the situation to them, Law said.

"I understand that they were extremely upset as can be expected, but they were also very impressed that Dr. Kaplan took the time to personally drive to Jackson County and explain to them what happened," Law said. "They assured the family that DHHR would assume all the cost of exhuming the body, getting the right body to them and doing whatever we have to do to make it right."

Starcher and Scarberry could not be reached on Wednesday. Two other children, a 10-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy, were at school at the time of the fire.

The matter is still under investigation, and if any wrongdoing is discovered, disciplinary action could follow, Law said.

A court order is required to exhume the body, he said. As soon as a circuit judge signs an order, the DHHR will take steps to inter the correct remains in Victoria Starcher's grave, he said.

The remains of the adult woman have not yet been positively identified, he said. Because both were burn victims, the mistake was not immediately obvious, Law said.

The medical examiner's employee probably did not check the label on the body bag against the information that identifies the remains when the bodies were released to the Charleston mortuary service for transportation to the Casto Funeral Home in Ripley, he said.

To contact staff writer Andrew Clevenger, use e-mail or call 348-1723.

A mistake at the state Medical Examiner's office resulted in the wrong body being buried in the grave of one of the victims of a Jackson County fire earlier this month, a state official said Wednesday.

Joseph Allen Starcher II, 4, and Victoria Hope Starcher, 2, died in the fire at their home in Cottageville on Feb. 8. The family held funeral services on Feb. 15.

Because of an employee's error, the remains of an adult woman who was the victim of a different fire were released in place of the little girl's, said Department of Health and Human Resources spokesman John Law.

The mistake was discovered earlier this week during a routine office check, which revealed that Victoria Starcher's remains were still at the medical examiner's office, he said.

On Tuesday, Dr. James Kaplan, the state's chief medical examiner, and state Bureau of Public Health acting chief Ron Forren met with the children's parents, Joseph Starcher and Tammy Scarberry, and explained the situation to them, Law said.

"I understand that they were extremely upset as can be expected, but they were also very impressed that Dr. Kaplan took the time to personally drive to Jackson County and explain to them what happened," Law said. "They assured the family that DHHR would assume all the cost of exhuming the body, getting the right body to them and doing whatever we have to do to make it right."

Starcher and Scarberry could not be reached on Wednesday. Two other children, a 10-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy, were at school at the time of the fire.

The matter is still under investigation, and if any wrongdoing is discovered, disciplinary action could follow, Law said.

A court order is required to exhume the body, he said. As soon as a circuit judge signs an order, the DHHR will take steps to inter the correct remains in Victoria Starcher's grave, he said.

The remains of the adult woman have not yet been positively identified, he said. Because both were burn victims, the mistake was not immediately obvious, Law said.

The medical examiner's employee probably did not check the label on the body bag against the information that identifies the remains when the bodies were released to the Charleston mortuary service for transportation to the Casto Funeral Home in Ripley, he said.

To contact staff writer Andrew Clevenger, use e-mail or call 348-1723.