Oregon authorities contacted the family to inform them that a relative had been found dead of a drug overdose, but months later… Admitted they made a mistake.
Tyler Chase's family was notified of his death on September 11th, and his body was cremated on October 1st. The Multnomah County Coroner's Office issued a death certificate after confirming his identity.
The family received the remains of a person they believed to be a relative.
Three months later, on December 19, authorities told the family they had made a mistake and Chase was still alive.Chase's cousin Latasha Rosales I spoke with KGW-TV. About the strange phone calls they received.
“I just lost it,” Rosales said. “I can't believe how something like this could happen. It just doesn't make sense to me.”
County investigators said they contacted the family as soon as they discovered the mistake. They did not release the actual identity of the deceased man.
“I can't even imagine how they feel,” Rosales said of the man's family. “Their children, siblings and their loved ones were cremated. He passed away without their knowledge.”
The coroner's office confirmed the story to KGW on Monday.
“While misidentification is extremely rare, a small number of cases have been reported nationwide,” the office said in a statement.
Officials believe the mistake was made because the deceased man was in possession of Chase's wallet, which contained a temporary Oregon driver's license, at the time of his death and the family did not disclose whether the body belonged to a relative. said.
“Although television often shows people identifying loved ones in the medical examiner's office, the reality is that most medical examiners' offices do not have viewing facilities,” the statement continued. “Families can meet and identify their loved one at the funeral home handling the arrangements.”
The department said it would update its identification methods to prevent similar mistakes in the future.
Reports regarding this incident are as follows:
Do you like Blaze News? Avoid censorship and sign up for our newsletter to get articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. Please register here!
