Salem, Oregon — A Washington couple is suing an Oregon hospital for $10 million, alleging they were forced to drive approximately four hours with the body of their deceased 9-month-old son after hospital employees allegedly told them professional transportation would be too expensive.
Aleksandr and Nataliya Yeremeyev filed the civil complaint in Multnomah County, claiming staff at Salem Hospital failed to give them reasonable time or assistance after their son, Michael, died at the hospital.
The allegations are contained in a lawsuit and have not been proven in court.
Parents Say Hospital Told Them to Use Their Car
According to the complaint, Michael had been receiving significant medical care for much of his short life. He was born with Down syndrome and other serious health conditions, and his parents say he spent the first six months of his life in a hospital rather than at home.
The family was visiting Oregon on what the lawsuit describes as their first family outing with Michael when his breathing became shallow and rapid.
His condition led to an emergency trip to Salem Hospital, where he remained for approximately two hours and 45 minutes before he died.
The parents say the hospital then told them they would need to transport Michael’s body themselves.
“When plaintiffs questioned how they were supposed to transport Michael’s body, Salem Health defendants told plaintiffs that they should put Michael in his car seat,” the complaint states.
According to the lawsuit, hospital employees allegedly said it “would be too expensive to transport Michael’s remains using a local funeral home.”
Mother Allegedly Carried Baby Through Emergency Room
The complaint describes the family’s experience leaving the hospital as especially traumatic.
Nataliya allegedly had to carry her deceased son through the emergency room lobby, the same area through which she had entered earlier that day.
The lawsuit states:
“Nataliya was forced to carry her deceased son’s body, whose skin had turned blue, out of the hospital through the same emergency room lobby through which she had entered hours earlier.”
The parents claim they were not given enough time to process Michael’s death, speak privately with one another, contact relatives or explore other arrangements for his remains.
Instead, they say they believed they had to leave the hospital promptly with their son’s body.
Four-Hour Drive From Salem to Seattle
Aleksandr says the journey from Salem back toward the family’s home in Seattle was filled with shock and grief.
According to the lawsuit, he feared being stopped by police, getting into a collision and dealing with the physical deterioration of his son’s body during the drive.
Nataliya and the couple’s other children reportedly traveled separately in another vehicle driven by a family member. The parents also had to contact funeral homes during the trip to make arrangements for Michael’s remains.
The complaint alleges that bodily fluids seeped from Michael’s body during the journey, requiring Aleksandr to clean the back seat of his vehicle.
“Aleksandr had to clean bodily fluids from the back seat of his vehicle, which had seeped from Michael’s body during the drive,” the complaint says.
Family Says Hospital Refused Other Options
The Yeremeyevs say they asked hospital employees whether a local funeral home could transport Michael in a manner consistent with their religious beliefs and practices.
According to the lawsuit, hospital staff allegedly refused that request. The parents also say they asked for paperwork connected to Michael’s death and transportation of his remains to Seattle.
The complaint alleges that staff told them they could not print the necessary paperwork because they did not have the correct paper or form.
Instead, the lawsuit says, a doctor provided the parents with only a handwritten note.
“[A doctor] provided plaintiffs only a handwritten note on a prescription pad stating that their child had died at the hospital,” the complaint says.
Parents Seek $10 Million in Damages
The lawsuit seeks $10 million in damages from the hospital and related defendants.
74-Year-Old Maryland Hunter Charged After Fatal Shooting of Woman He Allegedly Mistook for Deer
The parents argue that they were forced to make important decisions about their son’s remains while experiencing acute grief and shock, without enough opportunity to seek assistance or consider other transportation options.
The complaint also argues that the circumstances caused additional emotional distress during an already devastating loss.
The allegations remain part of an ongoing civil lawsuit, and the filing represents the parents’ claims rather than a court finding that the hospital or its employees acted unlawfully.
What are your thoughts on the allegations described in this lawsuit? Share your reaction in the comments below.
