Former D.C. Funeral Board Vice Chair Fined Over Missing Baby’s Ashes

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A former high-ranking D.C. funeral official has been fined and reprimanded following a heartbreaking incident involving the missing ashes of an infant. The case has raised serious questions about accountability and oversight within the District’s funeral industry.

A Family Still Searching for Answers

Brittani Davis, the mother of Macari Jackson, is still left with one question that haunts her every day:

“Where are my son’s ashes? And whose ashes do I have?”

Davis lost her infant son last year and entrusted Dunn and Son’s Funeral Home in Northeast D.C. with his cremation. But what followed was a devastating mix-up—one that has yet to be fully resolved.

Disciplinary Action Against Funeral Director

Asanti Williams, the designated funeral director at Dunn and Son’s Funeral Service and, until recently, the Vice Chair of D.C.’s Board of Funeral Directors, has been formally reprimanded and fined $2,000 by the D.C. Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP).

Williams resigned from her leadership position on the board shortly after 7News aired its initial report on the case in January. She recently appeared before the Office of Administrative Hearings in connection with the Davis family’s complaint.

According to DLCP, Williams agreed to settle a disciplinary action that included both the monetary penalty and a formal reprimand of her license for violations committed under her supervision.

Funeral Home Fined, Required to Take Remedial Training

The funeral home itself, Dunn and Son’s, also accepted a separate settlement. That includes:

A $7,500 fine
Mandatory completion of three hours of Cremation Best Practices
Three hours of Ethical Business Practices training for staff

The funeral home’s director, Brianna Dunn, admitted during the investigation that she gave Davis the wrong ashes. The ashes belonged to a baby girl named Makari—spelled with a “K”—not Brittani Davis’s son, Macari, spelled with a “C”.

Davis remains unconvinced and frustrated.

“Nobody is being held accountable. You can give money here, or just do these three hours. That’s not enough,” she said.
“We still don’t have our son’s ashes.”

Lack of Closure for the Davis Family

Davis said she has yet to receive any evidence proving the identity of the other child or documentation showing that her son’s ashes still exist. She marked what would have been Macari’s first birthday on July 14, still without the closure of knowing where he is.

Funeral Home’s Response

In a March statement sent to 7News, Dunn and Son’s expressed remorse for the incident, describing it as a “mix-up void of any fraud, malice, or intent.”

“Both babies had the same name. Mrs. Dunn wasn’t informed of the date written by the crematorium. The cremation occurred on August 15th. Nothing further will be stated,” the statement read.

The funeral home also offered to refund the cost of cremation and issued an apology to the Davis family. However, neither Asanti Williams nor the funeral home have commented publicly on the recent settlement with the District.

Ongoing Pain and Demands for Justice

Despite the fines and disciplinary actions, Davis and her family say they are left with unanswered questions, no ashes, and a deep sense of emotional pain that no monetary penalty can erase.

As the case draws public attention and scrutiny, advocates are calling for stronger regulations and greater transparency in the funeral industry to prevent such tragedies from happening again.