A Melbourne woman was mistakenly declared dead following a police and hospital identity mix-up that led authorities to incorrectly inform her family of her passing. Michelle Buckley, 54, was wrongly identified as deceased after police mistook the body of another woman for hers.

The deceased woman, who was homeless, had been living in Melbourne's Tarneit area for four years and was found carrying Ms. Buckley's personal identification and hospital records. While police were processing this mistaken identity, Ms. Buckley was reportedly making pizzas.

The first indication that something was amiss came when Ms. Buckley's partner received a message from her family. "He said: 'Oh my God. You're never going to believe what it says,'" Ms. Buckley told ABC News. "He brought his computer over, and there was a message from my brother's girlfriend saying, 'I'm really sorry to hear that Michelle's passed away.'"

Ms. Buckley described the experience as surreal, stating, "I just felt like time stood still. I couldn't believe what I was hearing." Moments later, she received a call from her family. "I could hear them crying, my poor older aunty and my cousins, everybody had been notified," she said. "I can't tell you what it's like. It's so surreal to be told that you're dead."

Further complications arose when Ms. Buckley discovered that the deceased woman's entire medical history had been merged into her My Health Record. For months leading up to the discovery of the error, her health record contained the other woman's hospital appointments and medical test results.

Kieren McKenzie, a lawyer representing Ms. Buckley, characterized the error as unprecedented. "I've never seen something like this," McKenzie stated, adding that the incident raised questions about how sensitive personal and medical information was handled.

A spokesperson for Mercy Health issued an apology for the mistaken identification. "We are deeply sorry to the patients and family involved and to everyone affected. Every patient has the right to expect that their identity and health information are managed safely and accurately," the spokesperson said. The health provider indicated it is conducting a thorough review to understand the cause and implement improvements to its patient identification processes.

Victoria Police have also formally apologized to Ms. Buckley for the distress caused by the error.