FOLEY, Ala. — Timothy Street, the former director of Pine Rest Funeral Home in Foley, is now facing a civil lawsuit in addition to the criminal case against him, after a woman who says she paid for her late mother’s headstone and never received it took him to court.
Deborah Nelson, who investigators have described as the first alleged victim to come forward, filed the lawsuit seeking a jury trial and compensatory and punitive damages. The five-page complaint accuses Street of negligence, wantonness, outrage and fraud, and claims his actions caused extreme mental anguish and emotional distress.
The suit states that the defendant’s conduct in failing to perform their duties was so extreme and outrageous that it should not be tolerated in a civilized society.
A $3,150 headstone that never arrived
According to the lawsuit, Nelson paid $3,150 for a headstone in January 2024 after her mother, Dora Amos, died. Her check was cashed, but the headstone never arrived.
After hearing a series of explanations about why the headstone had not been delivered, Nelson filed a police report and a complaint with the Alabama Board of Funeral Service.
Nelson and her family now have a headstone for her mother. She has credited the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office with taking her complaint seriously and thanked the funeral home for moving quickly to fill orders after investigators and the news media began paying attention to the complaints.
The funeral home seeks arbitration
Pine Rest Funeral Home is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Attorneys for the funeral home have asked the court to put any action on hold until arbitration is completed.
They point to an agreement Nelson signed when she arranged services in 2023, which includes an arbitration provision. The funeral home’s attorneys also argue that the Federal Arbitration Act creates a strong federal policy in favor of arbitration when interstate commerce is involved.
If the court grants that request, claims against the funeral home could be resolved through arbitration rather than in front of a jury. It was not immediately clear whether the court had ruled on that request.
Since the allegations surfaced, Pine Rest Funeral Home has confirmed that Street no longer works there. The funeral home says it has worked with all affected families to deliver headstones.
How the criminal case began
The criminal investigation began in March 2026, when a Baldwin County resident filed a complaint with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office after months of delays and excuses involving a headstone purchased for a recently deceased family member, according to the sheriff’s office. That person also filed a report with the state funeral board.
As investigators reviewed the complaint, they identified multiple people who said they had purchased headstones and markers through Street, only to wait months or even years without receiving them.
The sheriff’s office said a review of personal and business bank accounts revealed significant financial discrepancies. Investigators said Street accepted cash payments and checks from families but did not deposit the money into Pine Rest Funeral Home’s business account, and did not fulfill the orders he promised.
Street, 56, was arrested on June 19, 2026, and charged with first-degree financial exploitation of the elderly. Jail records showed he was released the same day, and court records indicate he was released on a $10,000 bond. The sheriff’s office said at the time that additional charges were expected as the investigation continued.
The sheriff’s office has said Pine Rest’s owners acted immediately once they learned of the findings, fully cooperated with investigators and worked to contact affected families.
Dozens of families have come forward
The number of people reporting problems grew over the summer. By late August, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office said about 30 people claimed they had paid for services at the Foley funeral home and received nothing in return.
At that time, the sheriff’s office said the case would be presented to a grand jury all at once, and that gathering the documentation was expected to take a few months.
Some families described waiting years for markers or engravings for loved ones buried at Pine Rest Memorial Park. One family member told reporters in August that his mother’s name had still not been engraved on a family mausoleum marker more than two years after her death in 2024.
What the charges and lawsuit mean
The criminal charge and the civil lawsuit are separate cases. The criminal case will determine whether Street broke the law, while the civil suit seeks money damages for the harm Nelson says she suffered.
The allegations in both cases have not been proven in court. Street is presumed innocent of the criminal charge unless and until he is proven guilty.
If you believe you were affected
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office has asked anyone who believes they may be a victim to file a report with both the sheriff’s office and the Alabama Board of Funeral Service. Families who purchased headstones, markers or engraving services and have not received them may also want to contact Pine Rest Funeral Home directly about the status of their orders, and keep copies of receipts, contracts and correspondence.
South Alabama News will continue to follow both the criminal case and the civil lawsuit and will report on any grand jury action or court rulings.
