A Las Vegas museum is disputing unsettling allegations from a Texas mother who believes one of its plastinated cadavers might be the body of her late son. The claim, which resurfaces periodically online, reflects her ongoing struggle for closure after his 2012 death.
Kim Erick has long questioned the circumstances surrounding the passing of her 23-year-old son, Chris Todd Erick, who was found dead in his grandmother’s home in Midlothian, Texas. Authorities concluded he suffered two heart attacks caused by an undiagnosed heart condition, and his family arranged for cremation. Kim later received a necklace said to contain some of his ashes but continued to feel uneasy after reviewing police photos she interpreted as signs of possible mistreatment. A 2014 investigation, however, found no evidence of foul play.
Years later, after visiting the Real Bodies exhibit, she became convinced a plastinated figure resembled her son. Exhibit organizers denied any connection, noting the specimen had been documented since 2004. Despite officials standing by existing records, Kim continues to seek answers, driven by unresolved grief.

