Man Shocked to Learn His Family Was Told He Died and Received Ashes: ‘Makes No Sense,’ Says Cousin

Mar. 15, 2025

Stock photo.Photo:Getty

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An Oregon man was surprised upon learning that a medical examiner’s office had incorrectly declared him dead in September of last year,  multiple news outlets reported.

“I go to DHS [Department of Human Services] and they asked me to enter my social security and everything, and they were like ‘Alright we’ll see if we can help you fix this,’” Chase told the news station. “And then all of the sudden they start interrogating me and were like ‘Oh can we see your ID?’ So I gave it to them and then they just looked as confused as I was and they’re like ‘Right here it says you are dead.’”

It turned out, as NBC affiliateKGWreported, the Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Office mistakenly identified the body of a deceased person as Chase’s and later contacted Chase’s family about their loved one’s death.

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Family members were told Chase died of a drug overdose on Sept. 11 and they were given ashes and a death certificate, perMcClatchy News. The ashes of the body, which was cremated on Oct, 11, were given to Chase’s family and a death certificate was issued, KGW reported.

However, the medical examiner’s office realized it made an error over the identification on Dec. 18 and then contacted Chase’s family the next day, according to McClatchy News, citing officials.

Latasha Rosales, a cousin of Chase, said in an interview with KGW after the error: “I just lost it. It is so hard to believe how something like this could even happen. It just makes no sense to me.”

A statement from Multnomah County later shared with PEOPLE read: “A core responsibility of the Medical Examiner’s office is the identification of deceased individuals. We deeply regret that the misidentification happened. The misidentification occurred because the deceased person was carrying Mr. Tyler Chase’s wallet and his official temporary Oregon driver’s license.”

The county said that the Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Office investigates about 3,500 deaths annually. “Although television often shows people identifying their loved ones at a Medical Examiner’s Office, in reality, most Medical Examiner’s Offices do not have viewing facilities. Families are able to view their loved one and confirm their identity at the funeral home making the arrangements. In this case, Mr. Chase’s immediate family declined to view the body prior to cremation,” they said.

The county also said that changes in procedure will be made at the medical examiner’s office following this particular case. “Going forward,” the statement read, “all individuals who are found with a temporary state-issued identification must also have fingerprints submitted for positive identification, to ensure that this will never happen again.”

“We extend our sincere condolences to the decedent’s family and are relaying their request that the family wishes to remain private and do not wish to be contacted,” the county concluded its statement. “We are glad that Mr. Chase was able to reunite with his family.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

source: people.com