Back in July, a resident of Detroit filed a lawsuit against Perry Funeral Home, Wayne State University, Detroit Medical Center, and Harper-Hutzel Hospitals. Inc. over allegations that the defendants “breached contracts by not properly taking possession of, transporting and or storing the deceased remains of infant bodies after requesting a donation for purposes of research.” The suit itself was filed in Wayne County Circuit Court and is in the spotlight in response to recent discoveries inside the Perry Funeral Home.
Back in July, a resident of Detroit filed a lawsuit against Perry Funeral Home, Wayne State University, Detroit Medical Center, and Harper-Hutzel Hospitals. Inc. over allegations that the defendants “breached contracts by not properly taking possession of, transporting and or storing the deceased remains of infant bodies after requesting a donation for purposes of research.” The suit itself was filed in Wayne County Circuit Court and is in the spotlight in response to recent discoveries inside the Perry Funeral Home.
Earlier this month on October 19, 63 infant remains were found inside the funeral home “during a raid led by the Detroit Police Department.” According to the investigation, the infant remains “were located in unrefrigerated boxes and inside of a deep freezer in the funeral home.” Since the discovery, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) has “revoked the funeral home’s license and shut the facility down.”
But what exactly does the suit allege? For starters, it claims that Rachel Brown of Detroit “gave birth to a baby girl on Dec. 8, 2014, at Harper-Hutzel Hospital in Detroit.” Shortly after the birth, the infant died and “Brown and her husband were approached by personnel at the hospital and asked about donating their child’s remains to Wayne State University Medical School for purposes of medical education and research, or to have the child’s remains transferred to a funeral home for burial,” according to the suit.
Brown and her husband agreed “in the hope that it would assist medical science and research.” However, the defendants “never undertook to facilitate the transfer of the infant’s body to the medical school.” Instead, the infant’s body was left abandoned in the hospital. Eventually, “Perry Funeral Home was asked to take possession of the remains for final disposition.”
Daniel Cieslak, the attorney representing the family, said:
“Perry Funeral Home took possession of those remains and kept them at the Wayne State Mortuary Science Morgue instead of making final disposition of those remains in a timely manner.”
The plaintiffs also allege that “at no time were they provide documentation or contacted regarding a decision to memorialize the infant’s body, whether through cremation or burial.”
In response to the allegations, Wayne State University issued the following statement:
“Wayne State University receives remains in one of two ways. Our Mortuary Science program has provided embalming services for adult remains for Perry Funeral Home, and Generations Funeral and Cremation Services. Until about a year ago, the program also accepted some infant remains from Perry for temporary, secure and respectful shelter. After the disturbing revelations on Oct. 19, Wayne State no longer accepts any remains from Perry.
The School of Medicine Body Bequest Program accepts remains for medical education and scientific medical research, however, it does not accept unclaimed fetal or infant remains because a mother’s signature is required on a release form by law.
The Body Bequest Program stopped accepting fetal and infant remains from Hutzel Hospital in June 2015 because the hospital repeatedly failed to deliver remains, or notify the school of remains, in the timeframe necessary for the bodies to be viable for research. Paperwork was also routinely improper or inadequate.
To be clear, the Mortuary Science Program has never been responsible for arrangements or final disposition of remains. The Body Bequest Program prides itself on providing all donated remains with the utmost care and respect, including hosting an annual memorial service to honor those who donated their bodies.
This tragic situation is not a university issue, however, our thoughts and prayers go out to all of the affected families.”
The other defendants in the case have yet to respond to the allegations.
Sources:
Detroit woman files lawsuit against Perry Funeral Home, WSU and DMC
Lawsuit filed against Perry Funeral Home, WSU and DMC over infant remains
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