Full Breakdown
Seattle Couple Sues Oregon Hospital Over Forced Transport of Deceased Infant
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On the night of September 22, 2024, 9-month-old Michael Yeremeyev died in the emergency department of Salem Health Hospital in Salem, Oregon. After the death, the parents, Aleksandr and Nataliya Yeremeyev, asked hospital staff how to arrange respectful transport of their son’s remains to Seattle. According to the complaint, staff told the couple that using a local funeral home would be “too expensive” and instructed them to bring the body home in their private vehicle. The parents drove approximately four hours to Seattle, with Michael’s body placed on the back seat, later cleaning bodily fluids that leaked during the trip. The Yeremeyevs have filed a $10 million lawsuit alleging negligence, vicarious liability, and breach of a heightened duty of care for the dignified handling of a child’s remains.
Background & Context
Michael was born on January 10, 2024 with Down syndrome and other significant health conditions that required a six-month stay at Seattle Children’s Hospital. The family took him on his first extended outing—a religious retreat in Salem—when his breathing became rapid and shallow, prompting the emergency visit.
Data & Statistics
- Child’s age: 9 months (born January 10, 2024)
- Date of death: September 22, 2024 (approximately 2:44 a.m.)
- Distance driven: ~4 hours from Salem to Seattle
- Lawsuit amount sought: $10 million in non-economic damages, with plans to amend for punitive damages
- Filing date: September 18 in Multnomah County Circuit Court
Verbatim Quotes
- “His parents had made sure that he had received really excellent care. So, I think it was a really, really sad and just very tragic way for his life to end and for it to be so undignified right there at the end,” — Anna Bruckenhoefer, the family’s attorney
- “No parents, no loved ones should ever be placed in the position that the Yeremeyev’s were placed in,” — Anna Bruckenhoefer, the family’s attorney
- “They needed to have better procedures and protocols in place,” — Anna Brunkenhoefer, attorney
- “We’re anxious to get into discovery and see what policies and procedures [Salem Hospital] did have,” — Anna Brunkenhoefer, attorney
What’s Next
The complaint, filed on September 18, names Salem Health Hospitals & Clinics, Salem Health, Salem Emergency Physicians Service, and Dr. Stefani Sorensen as defendants. The plaintiffs seek a jury trial to determine damages and intend to amend the filing to include punitive damages pending discovery of the hospital’s policies and procedures.