Three days after being born, the baby died in the hospital. The hospital sent baby’s body to another hospital to have an autopsy performed. After the autopsy was completed, the baby’s body was returned back to the hospital where it had been born. The hospital contacted the baby’s parents telling them that they had their baby’s body and funeral arrangements could be made. However, a few days later, the hospital realized that it had lost the body. The body has not been found. The parents filed suit against the hospital for “negligent handling of a body and infliction of emotional distress”.
A hospital has a duty to use due care in handling the body of someone that has died in its care. Losing a baby’s body certainly is indicative of negligence. The parents are seeking $30,000.00 in damages. The Scott Ray Law Firm handles negligent hospital cases.