Seattle parents sue Salem hospital alleging staff told them to drive son's body home

A Seattle couple is suing Salem Health Hospitals & Clinics and an emergency physician for $10 million, alleging staff told them to transport their nearly 9-month-old son’s body home to Washington in their own car after he died at Salem Hospital in September 2024. According to the lawsuit, the parents repeatedly asked about funeral-home transportation and proper documentation but were allegedly told that professional transport would be too expensive and were given only a handwritten note confirming the death. Staff allegedly instructed them to place the child in his car seat or lay him flat under a blanket in the back seat for the four-hour drive. The parents say they made the trip while in shock, fearing a traffic stop or crash, and later had to clean bodily fluids from the vehicle. Their attorneys argue the hospital failed to provide dignified handling of the remains, adequate time to consider alternatives, or access to morgue storage while arrangements were made; the allegations have not been adjudicated.