Funeral homes provide free services for kids who die, accident victims

The Dignity Memorial Family of Funeral Homes and Cemeteries of Ventura County recently initiated a program to help community members cope at a time of loss due to accidental death.

"Accidental death is a traumatic experience for any family to go through…especially if the victim is a child," said Lawrence W. Michael, vice president of Dignity Memorial at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park, Mortuary & Crematory in Westlake Village.

Dignity Memorial will not charge for their services (exclusive of merchandise, cemetery property and required forms) when a child under the age of 18 dies of any cause, or when a person of any age dies as a result of an accident. There will be no fee for a service in their chapel.

In the Conejo Valley area, another Dignity Memorial facility is at Pierce Brothers Griffin Mortuary in Thousand Oaks.

For more information, please call Michael at (805) 495-0837.