A grieving mother has described her utter horror after claiming to recognise her deceased son's body among preserved human remains displayed in a Las Vegas museum exhibition.
The traumatic discovery
Kim Erick, 54, was researching the Real Bodies exhibition in Las Vegas when she encountered photographs of displayed specimens that she believes belong to her son Chris. The Texas-born mother described the moment as "gut-wrenching," stating she was "looking at pictures of my son's skinned, butchered body."
"I knew it was him; it was so unbelievably painful to look at," Kim told reporters. "My words cannot describe how this shook me and my family to its core."
A mother's unanswered questions
Chris Erick died in November 2012 at his grandmother's home, with police initially informing Kim that he had died peacefully in his sleep. However, the mother remained suspicious about the circumstances surrounding her son's death.
Her concerns grew when she received photographs from the death scene showing bruises and restraining marks across Chris's arms, chest and abdomen. A subsequent toxicology report revealed a fatal quantity of cyanide in his body, further deepening the mystery.
Despite a 2014 murder investigation, authorities ultimately determined Chris's death was likely suicide, a conclusion Kim has never accepted.
The museum exhibition controversy
The Real Bodies exhibition showcases actual human specimens that have been meticulously preserved using plastination techniques, offering visitors an anatomical journey through the human body.
Kim became convinced one particular specimen was Chris after noticing striking similarities to the crushed skull injury she remembered from his death. She also noted that recognizable tattoos had been removed, which she believes was done to conceal the body's identity.
"When I saw the platinated body online in the news article with this same skull fracture... it was too painful to look closer," she explained.
Official responses and ongoing battle
Imagine Exhibitions, Inc., the owner of Real Bodies, has firmly denied Kim's allegations. In an official statement, they said: "We extend our sympathy to the family, but there is no factual basis for these allegations. The referenced specimen has been on continuous display in Las Vegas since 2004."
The company maintains that all specimens are "ethically sourced and biologically unidentifiable" and were obtained from China with proper documentation.
Kim continues to campaign for answers and has pleaded with exhibition curators to conduct DNA testing on the remains, though the museum insists identification is impossible. Police have reiterated their confidence in their original investigation, stating no evidence of foul play was found.
The heartbroken mother remains determined to prove her son was murdered and that his body was somehow obtained for public display, describing the entire ordeal as a continuing nightmare for her family.
