A mother expressed deep distress upon encountering what she believed to be her son’s body on display at an exhibition in a museum. Kim Erick, aged 54, was visiting the Real Bodies exhibition in Las Vegas when she came across a body that she was convinced belonged to her son, Chris. She described feeling traumatized after seeing what she perceived as her son’s “skinned” and “butchered” body exhibited there.
Despite Kim’s claims, the museum has refuted that the body in question is her son’s. Police authorities also informed Kim that they thoroughly investigated her son’s passing and determined that there was no foul play involved.
Kim held onto her belief in a sinister element surrounding her son’s death and the alleged display of his body at the exhibition. Recalling the distressing moment she encountered the body, Kim stated, “I knew it was him; it was so unbelievably painful to look at. My words cannot describe how this shook me and my family to its core. I was actually looking at pictures of my son’s skinned, butchered body. It is gut-wrenching.”
The Real Bodies exhibition features preserved human remains, providing visitors with a unique perspective on human anatomy. Kim is now requesting DNA tests to determine if the body in question is indeed her son, Chris.
Kim shared a strong connection with her son. The tragic incident occurred when Chris was discovered deceased in November 2012 at his grandmother’s residence. Police reported that Chris passed away peacefully in his sleep. Following his passing, Chris’s father, who is now separated from Kim, arranged for cremation, although Kim claims that no funeral arrangements were discussed.
Despite receiving a necklace containing Chris’s ashes later on, Kim harbored doubts and believed that something was amiss, prompting her to urge the police to reinvestigate the circumstances of her son’s death. She expressed, “The photos were very disturbing. There were restraining marks across Chris’s arms, chest, and abdomen.”
In 2014, a jury initiated a murder investigation into Chris’s death but found no evidence supporting the theory of homicide, concluding that his passing was likely a suicide.
Kim steadfastly maintains her belief that someone is responsible for her son’s demise and has been advocating for answers. Encountering the body at the exhibition in 2018 only solidified her conviction that it could be her son.
Reflecting on her search for answers, Kim mentioned, “I started looking online for the deep skull fracture I saw in Chris’s right temple of his head when he died. When I saw the platinated body online in the news article with this same skull fracture…it was too painful to look closer.”
Following the claims made by Kim, Imagine Exhibitions, Inc., the company that owns Real Bodies, issued a statement asserting, “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 and cannot be associated with the individual named in these claims. All specimens are ethically sourced and biologically unidentifiable. We remain committed to ensuring that all exhibits meet the highest ethical and legal standards.”
