Annette Federspiel, from Dunoon in Scotland, said she put her hand into a pair of socks belonging to her late husband, which had been returned after his death, and made a shocking discovery
A woman says it was “like something out of a horror film” when she found parts of her late husband’s feet attached to a pair of socks among belongings returned to her after his death.
Annette Federspiel was shocked to discover her late partner’s remains inside a bag of his items given to her by funeral directors last week. The 58-year-old lost her husband, Mark, after he fell overboard a ferry travelling to Dunoon on Father’s Day.
Mark, 64, had been travelling home from Gourock to Dunoon with his wife after visiting their 22-year-old daughter Lara on the mainland. His body was discovered on Kilcreggan Beach, on the Rosneath Peninsula, on the morning of Sunday, October 12.
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The mother described the moment she opened her husband’s bag as “like something out of a horror film”. She said: “We got his belongings back and they absolutely stank. I took the things out and his socks were heavy, so I put my hands in and I touched Mark’s feet.
“I started howling and ran into the kitchen to get gloves and I put my hands back into the socks and pulled out the soles of Mark’s feet.”
It is understood that Police Scotland gave clearance for Caladh Funeral Directors to collect Mark’s body and belongings following a post-mortem, Daily Record reports. A bag containing parts of his remains was then handed over to his widow.
Annette continued: “His feet were attached to the bottom of the socks – his soles and heels. What had happened to Mark? Did no one realise his feet were hanging off in the mortuary? My 87-year-old father had to come round and tie up the bag of Mark’s feet and take it outside before the funeral home could come to collect it.”
Police Scotland said the force was not involved in handing over Mark’s belongings to his widow. A spokesperson said: “Police Scotland did not return any belongings in this case.” Police had earlier confirmed his death is not being treated as suspicious.
Mark, who was a US Navy diver, was reported missing from the vessel at around 1pm on June 15 after he failed to return from the toilet. Annette said she raised the alarm just seven minutes later.
His disappearance sparked a major multi-agency search operation earlier this year, which involved the HM Coastguard helicopter, RNLI lifeboats and nearby vessels, as well as Police Scotland officers, their Dive and Marine Unit and Air Support Unit. After four agonising months, Mark was given a military send-off in Dunoon on November 12.
It’s understood the father had been receiving treatment for a rare form of leukaemia, with the side effects of the drugs often leaving him unsteady on his feet.
Mark and Annette had recently returned to her hometown of Dunoon, after spending years in the United States, and were looking forward to their retirement in Scotland. As a US Navy diver, Mark had been responsible for disassembling explosives at sea and was nicknamed “Mark the Shark” because of his speed at work.
A spokesperson for Caladh Funeral Directors said: “As a matter of policy, we do not comment on the specifics of individual cases, in order to protect the privacy of the families we support. We understand how sensitive these situations are, and our priority is always to provide care, compassion and dignity to every family and every person in our care.”
