Jessie Peterson’s family spent a year searching for her after they were told that she had checked herself out of a California hospital against medical advice – before they learned that she had been dead all along.

The 31-year-old died in the care of Mercy San Juan medical center in Sacramento in April 2023. The hospital shipped her body to a storage facility and did not inform her mother and sisters. The family only learned her fate the following April after months of trying to find her, according to a civil lawsuit against the hospital.

In the lawsuit, filed earlier this month, the family described the hospital’s conduct as “malicious and outrageous” and accused the facility of negligence, the negligent handling of a corpse and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

  • @x00z
    link
    English
    721 days ago

    There might be miscommunication in the beginning, but if the family is showing up at the coroner’s office and repeatedly asking the hospital for information, that should have sparked an investigation by the hospital.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      220 days ago

      I worked at Lowe’s and it was horrible, but if someone had showed up asking about a fucking refrigerator we would have launched an investigation.

      • @x00z
        link
        English
        020 days ago

        If they keep coming you asking where the hell their refrigerator went that just left your store, you would.