It was a huge confusion.
An Oregon family believed their loved one was dead when they received an urn full of ashes and the 23-year-old’s death certificate, but months later they discovered he was alive.
The strange resurrection story began when the Multnomah County medical examiner declared Portland resident Tyler Chase dead from a drug overdose, KPTV reported.
Chase had been living in a recovery program after struggling with substance abuse and had no contact with his family for several years, according to the outlet.
In December, she went to the Department of Human Services office to ask why her food assistance benefits were inactive after she was approved in October.
Tyler Chase’s family was shocked to learn that the urn full of ashes they received did not contain the remains of their loved one, who is very much alive, due to a major mix-up by the medical examiner’s office. family brochure
“They asked me to enter my Social Security and everything, and they said, ‘Okay, we’ll see if we can help you figure this out,’” Chase told KPTV.
“And then all of a sudden they started questioning me and said, ‘Oh, can we see your ID?’ So I gave it to them and then they looked as confused as I was and said, ‘It says right here that you’re dead,’” he said.
The family received an urn containing another man’s ashes. family brochure
Meanwhile, Chase’s family received a death certificate and an urn full of ashes belonging to another person: a man who was found dead while carrying his wallet, which was apparently stolen from the recovery center where he lived, according to the station.
The wallet contained his temporary driver’s license, authorities said.
“Then they found a paper ID of mine that was smudged and everything and they said, ‘That’s Tyler John Chase,’ so they identified him as me,” Chase told KPTV.
Chase’s family also received this death certificate before discovering that he is not dead. family brochure
“And then they notified the family as a protocol,” he added.
Chase’s family refused to see the body before it was cremated, the Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Office told KGW.
“Although television often shows people identifying their loved ones at the medical examiner’s office, in reality, most medical examiner’s offices do not have viewing facilities,” the office wrote in the outlet.
“Families can see their loved ones and confirm their identity at the funeral home by making arrangements,” he added.
Tyler Chase struggled with substance abuse and lived in a recovery center. family brochure
It took more than three months for the office to spot the mistake and inform the family that Chase was not a pile of ashes and schedule a video call to get them back in touch with him, KGW reported.
Officials also contacted the correct family of the deceased, whose name has not been released, to notify them of his death.
“We deeply regret that a misidentification occurred,” a county spokesperson told KPTV. “The misidentification occurred because the deceased was carrying Mr. Tyler Chase’s wallet and his temporary official Oregon driver’s license.”
Latasha Rosales, Chase’s cousin, was surprised by the confusion. KGW
The statement added that the ME’s office has “launched a comprehensive review to identify any gaps in current practices and is working to implement institutional change.
“In the future, all people found with a state-issued temporary ID will also be required to submit their fingerprints for positive identification, to ensure this never happens again,” he added.
“Misidentification is extremely rare, but has been reported in a small number of cases across the country,” the office told KGW in a statement.
Tyler Chase had not been in contact with his family in recent years. family brochure
Latasha Rosales, Chase’s cousin, said she “just lost it” when she found out about the serious mistake.
“It’s very hard to believe how something like this could happen. It just doesn’t make sense to me,” she told the outlet.
“I can’t even imagine how they feel,” Rosales added of the other family. “Your son, your brother, your loved one was cremated. He passed away without them even being notified.”
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Source: vtt.edu.vn