It’s a big mix.
An Oregon family believed their loved one was dead when they received a jar full of ashes and the 23-year-old’s death certificate – but they discovered months later that he was still alive.
The strange story of a revival began when Portland resident Tyler Chase was pronounced dead from a drug overdose by the Multnomah County medical examiner, KPTV reported.
Chase has been in a rehab program after struggling with substance abuse and not having contact with his family for several years, according to the outlet.
In December, she went to a Department of Human Services office to ask why her food assistance benefits weren’t active after she was approved for them 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 were still alive, due to a major intervention by the medical examiner’s office. Family Distribution
“They asked me to put in my Social Security and everything, and they were like, ‘Okay, we’ll see if we can help you fix it,'” 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 they were like, ‘Here it says you’re dead,’” he said.
The family received an urn containing the other man’s ashes. Family Distribution
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 rehabilitation center where he was staying, according to the station.
The wallet contained his provisional driver’s license, officials said.
“So, they found my tainted ID papers and everything and they were like, ‘That’s Tyler John Chase,’ so they put him as me,” Chase told KPTV.
Chase’s family also received this death certificate before knowing he wasn’t dead. Family Distribution
“And then they tell the family like protocol,” he added.
The Chase 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.
“Families can see their loved ones and verify their identity at the funeral home that makes the arrangements,” he added.
Tyler Chase struggled with substance abuse and resided in rehab. Family Distribution
It took the office more than three months to catch the mistake and inform the family that Chase was not a pile of ashes and make a video call to get them back, KGW reported.
Officers also contacted the deceased’s immediate family, whose name has not been released, to inform them of his death.
“We are very sorry that the misidentification occurred,” a district spokesperson told KPTV. “The misidentification occurred because the deceased was carrying Mr. Tyler Chase’s wallet and his official Oregon provisional driver’s license.”
Latasha Rosales, Chase’s cousin, was shocked by the mix-up. KGW
The statement added that the ME’s office has “launched a comprehensive review to identify any gaps in current practice and is working to implement institutional changes.”
“Going forward, all individuals found with government-issued temporary identification must also have fingerprints submitted for positive identification, to ensure this does not happen 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 has been out of touch with his family in recent years. Family Distribution
Latasha Rosales, Chase’s cousin, said she “just lost it” when she heard about the big mistake.
“It’s hard to believe how something like this could happen. It doesn’t make sense to me,” he told the outlet.
“I can’t imagine how they feel,” Rosales added of the rest of the family. “Their children, their brothers, their loved ones were burned. He died without them being told.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
