Parents file lawsuit after hospital allegedly forced them to transport dead child

The Tragic Journey Home

Real talk: this is absolutely heartbreaking. Aleksandr and Nataliya Yeremeyev are currently suing Salem Health and Dr. Stefani Sorensen for $10 million after an experience that sounds like a total nightmare.

Back on September 22, 2024, the family was in Salem, Oregon, for a religious retreat when their nine-month-old son, Michael—who was born with Down syndrome—began struggling to breathe. They rushed him to the Salem Health emergency room, but sadly, he passed away. What happened next is where the story takes a dark turn.

According to the lawsuit, when the grieving parents asked staff to help them arrange respectful transportation for Michael back to Seattle, they were allegedly told it would be "too expensive" to use a funeral home. Instead, the family says they were pressured to transport their son’s body in their own private car. Feeling like they had no other options, the parents complied.

The Aftermath

Aleksandr ended up driving four hours back to Seattle with his son’s body in the backseat, while Nataliya and their other children followed behind. The emotional toll was massive. Per the lawsuit, the father lived in constant fear of police stops or car crashes, and he was eventually forced to clean bodily fluids that had leaked onto his car seat during the drive.

Their attorney, Anna Bruckenhoefer, stated that the hospital should have been a source of guidance, saying, “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.”

The Response

The lawsuit accuses the defendants of negligence and breach of duty regarding the respectful treatment of a body. Salem Health hasn’t offered specifics due to the ongoing litigation but told Fox 13 they responded "in accordance with the family’s wishes" and followed hospital policy and Oregon state law.

Why it matters

This case hits different because it raises serious questions about how healthcare facilities are expected to support grieving families during their most vulnerable moments. The Yeremeyev family is seeking $10 million for the severe trauma they endured, and the plot thickens as they plan to add punitive damages to the claim.