Seattle Couple Sues Oregon Hospital Over Handling of Deceased Infant's Remains

A Seattle couple has filed a $10 million lawsuit against Salem Health and Dr. Stefani Sorensen, alleging that hospital staff in Oregon insisted they drive the body of their nearly 9-month-old son home to Seattle in their private car following his death.

Aleksandr and Nataliya Yeremeyev claim they sought respectful and dignified care and transportation for their son, Michael, but were instead pressured to take his body with them. Michael, who had Down syndrome, had spent the first six months of his life at Seattle Children's Hospital.

The incident occurred on September 22, 2024, when the family was visiting Salem, Oregon, for a religious retreat. Michael developed rapid, shallow breathing and was rushed to the emergency room at Salem Health Hospital, where he died. According to the lawsuit, when the parents inquired about arranging transport for Michael's body to Seattle, hospital staff allegedly suggested it would be too expensive to contact a local funeral home and urged the family to take the body themselves.

"They have repeatedly asked the hospital for assistance in helping them with what are the next steps," said Anna Bruckenhoefer, the family's attorney. "This was all occurring overnight. They felt rushed that they had to make quick decisions and the hospital left them with no choice other than to take Michael's body with them and head back to Seattle."

Aleksandr Yeremeyev drove approximately four hours from Salem to Seattle with his son's body in the backseat, while his wife and other children followed in a separate vehicle. The lawsuit states that during the drive, Aleksandr experienced severe emotional distress, fearing traffic stops, accidents, and the potential deterioration of his child's body. Upon arrival at a Seattle funeral home, he reportedly had to clean bodily fluids that had leaked onto the car seat.

Bruckenhoefer stated that while it is legal to transport a deceased person with proper permits in both Oregon and Washington, her clients were seeking guidance and assistance from the hospital. "This is a hospital. It's an emergency department. Unfortunately, death is something that they are accustomed to and that they deal with. They should have had procedures and protocols in place to assist the Yeremeyev’s while they were dealing with literally the worst moment of their lives. Instead, what they did is they just compounded their grief by essentially telling them that they were on their own in this."

The lawsuit alleges direct negligence, vicarious liability, and a breach of the heightened duty of care owed to bereaved parents. The family is seeking $10 million in non-economic damages for emotional distress and psychological trauma, with plans to amend the complaint to include punitive damages.

Salem Health issued a statement saying that out of respect for privacy and due to the ongoing litigation, they cannot discuss the details of the child's care. "Salem Hospital responded in accordance with the family’s wishes and followed both hospital policy and Oregon state law in consultation with the appropriate local authorities, including the medical examiner," the statement read. "Care with respect is a guiding principle of clinical practice at Salem Hospital and remains central to how we support patients and families during some of life's most difficult moments. We recognize the profound grief families experience following the loss of a loved one and treat every patient and family with empathy, dignity, and respect."