A New Jersey man's family alleges that representatives from the NJ Sharing Network attempted to harvest his organs shortly after he was declared brain dead, despite his recently updated donor status and his religious objections. Keith Lott, 47, was declared brain dead on May 19 at Cooper University Hospital in Camden after experiencing a medical emergency at his home.
Three days prior, Lott had been rushed to the hospital following CPR attempts by paramedics. Doctors determined that blood had stopped flowing to his body, causing brain swelling. According to Islamic law, which Lott had converted to after marrying his wife in 2023, his body needed to be buried within three days.
Family members reported that within two hours of Lott being declared brain dead, representatives from the NJ Sharing Network arrived at the hospital to initiate organ harvesting. Lott's mother, Minnie Lott, stated she did not want her son's body opened, irrespective of his religious conversion.
While Lott had previously registered as an organ donor on his driver's license, he had opted to change his status upon renewal for 2025, aligning with some Islamic beliefs that discourage altering the body after death. However, according to Lott's sister-in-law, Tiffany Lott, the NJ Sharing Network representatives asserted that "when you check that box to be a donor, it’s a lifetime contract."
The family also reported that the NJ Sharing Network threatened legal action against the family and hospital administrators. Hospital staff expressed concerns about their professional standing if they were to remove Lott from life support against the organ network's wishes.
The standoff continued for several days until Lott's niece contacted her employer, state Sen. Paul Moriarty. Staffers for the senator reportedly informed the hospital that the organ network's actions were illegal. Approximately two hours after this intervention, the NJ Sharing Network allegedly agreed to release Lott's body to the family.
A spokesperson for the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission confirmed that changes to organ donor status are immediately updated on MVC records. The NJ Sharing Network stated that they access the MVC database in real time to verify the most current donor status and that drivers can change their status through the MVC. However, the organization did not directly address why Lott's updated 2025 status was reportedly disregarded.
This incident follows previous scrutiny of the NJ Sharing Network. Whistleblower accounts presented to the House Ways and Means Committee have cited allegations of fraud, cover-ups, and illegal practices, including proceeding with organ recovery from individuals showing signs of life. An assistant professor specializing in justice studies and medical humanities at Montclair University criticized the NJ Sharing Network's alleged actions, stating that the claim of a "lifetime contract" for organ donors has no basis in New Jersey statute and is both ethically and legally unsound.