A devastated mother says she was horrified to discover what she believes is her son’s body on display at a museum — and she’s now demanding answers.

Kim Erick, 54, was visiting the Real Bodies exhibition in Las Vegas when she came across a preserved human body she insists is her son, Chris. She says the sight left her traumatised, claiming the remains matched features she recognised immediately.

The museum has denied the allegation, and police maintain that Chris’s death was thoroughly investigated with no foul play found. Authorities told Kim that her son passed away peacefully in 2012 at his grandmother’s home.

But Kim believes there is more to the story.



She recalls the moment she first saw the exhibit:
“I knew it was him. It shook me and my family to the core.”
She says the body on display appeared to match injuries she remembers from Chris, deepening her suspicion.

The Real Bodies exhibition showcases preserved human specimens for educational purposes. According to Kim, the body she saw had a distinctive skull fracture similar to what Chris reportedly suffered, and she claims the tattoos he had were missing — something she believes may have been removed along with the skin.



Kim has pleaded for DNA testing to confirm whether the remains belong to her son.

Chris’s passing had long been a point of pain and uncertainty. After his death, Kim says she received only a small necklace containing ashes, while his father handled the cremation. In 2014, a jury in Texas reviewed the case, briefly opening a murder inquiry, but ultimately found no evidence of homicide, ruling the death likely a suicide. Kim, however, has continued to push for answers, insisting something was never right about the circumstances.



Years later, while researching the exhibition online, she stumbled on images that reignited her fears.

The exhibition’s organisers firmly dispute her claims.
Imagine Exhibitions, Inc., the company behind Real Bodies, said:

“We extend our sympathy to the family, but there is no factual basis for these allegations. The referenced specimen has been on display since 2004 and cannot be associated with the individual named in these claims. All specimens are ethically sourced and biologically unidentifiable.”

Despite this, Kim remains determined to uncover the truth and is still calling for the remains to be released for testing.