Suit against stepmother over father's funeral and insurance proceeds settles

Madison County Circuit Judge Dennis Ruth on Feb. 27 granted a motion to voluntarily dismiss a complaint brought by St. Louisans Zachary, Elias and Jacob Friederich who claimed their step mother, Anne Bailey, kept them from attending their father's funeral and kept them from insurance proceeds.

According to the motion for voluntary dismissal, the plaintiffs' attorney - Terry N. Brown of Brown and Associates in Belleville - discussed “the matter” with Bailey and each party is to bear its own costs. Terms of any settlement are not indicated in the case file.

On March 4, Circuit Judge Barbara Crowder ordered the Madison County Circuit Clerk to release to Bailey all funds deposited with the Circuit Clerk by Minnesota Life Insurance Company. Crowder ordered the funds to be released in the form of a draft payable to R. Anne Bailey Friederich and mailed to her lawyer, Kevin J. Babb.

Ruth wrote in a Feb. 1 order that a motion made by plaintiffs to dismiss Minnesota Life Insurance Company was granted.

According to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs claimed their father, James Friederich, married Bailey about two and a half years before his death in 2004.

A few months before his death, Bailey allegedly restricted his sons from seeing him and cut off communication, according to the complaint filed April 6, 2011.

When the elder Friederich died in December 2004, Bailey allegedly failed to inform the children of their father’s passing and failed to invite them to the funeral, the suit claimed.

Freiderich’s sons also claim they lost out on life insurance benefits.

Their mother was named primary beneficiary on James Freiderich’s life insurance policy through defendant Minnesota Life Insurance Company until their parents’ divorce in 1991.

After the divorce, the plaintiffs were named as beneficiaries, according to the complaint.

Erich Axmacher represented Minnesota Life Insurance Company.

Babb of Unsell Schattnik & Babb represented Bailey.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 11-L-320.