Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

CINCINNATI -- Heather Werth said she was devastated when her son, Joey, died in the hospital 16 weeks after he was born premature. But she said even more devastating was that someone sent her a photo album filled with pictures of her son taken after he died.
"I had memories of Joey. I don't have those anymore. They've been replaced by this," Werth said pointing to the photo album.
Good Samaritan Hospital and unknown employees of the hospital are named as defendants in the lawsuit.
Werth said she told hospital officials that she didn't want any pictures taken of her son after he died.
Instead, she received the album with 154 pictures in it. Werth said Joey was placed in more than 20 poses.
"He was treated like a doll. He was flipped and he was flopped. He was dressed and he was undressed. He was put in a blanket. He was posed. He was laying on his belly. He was laying on his back," Werth said.
Werth is suing for emotional distress, abuse of a corpse and negligent supervision by Good Samaritan Hospital.
"To me, they played with him. And this was something that didn't take five minutes to do. They played with him for a long time," she said. "I held him when he passed and I should have been the last person to bond with him."
A representative for Good Samaritan Hospital said they would not comment on the lawsuit. They also wouldn't say whether the practice of taking pictures after death is a standard practice at the hospital.
Werth said she will destroy the pictures once the lawsuit is settled.
"Every day I see these pictures in my head. It's the first thing I think of when I get up, and it's the last thing I think of when I go to bed," Werth said.



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Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

what... the... fkkkk.

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

I hope wins a LOT of $$$>..that is SO not right.

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

are you KIDDING me???? Thats horrific!

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

I'm totally disgusted right now

that poor woman

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

She should sue them for enough to close the damn hospital down. Shameful.

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

I want to vomit for her, there isn't even a word for this!!

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

I guess I'm the only one who thinks that the hospital likely had good intentions - but they just went horribly wrong. I feel terribly for the mother - obviously she doesn't need any more heart ache than she already has. But, I really do think whoever took those pictures probably thought they were doing a good thing.

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

That is so awful!! That poor woman!

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

I am so incredibly sorry and horrified for her.

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

So disturbing. That poor mother I would have been horrified.

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

Posted by InShock

I guess I'm the only one who thinks that the hospital likely had good intentions - but they just went horribly wrong. I feel terribly for the mother - obviously she doesn't need any more heart ache than she already has. But, I really do think whoever took those pictures probably thought they were doing a good thing.

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

That is sick and disturbing in so many ways!!! To dress him up and position him in different ways?? W T eeeFFF?? That poor poor woman!!!!

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

That is sick and disgusting.

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

Posted by EndlessSummer719

Posted by InShock

I guess I'm the only one who thinks that the hospital likely had good intentions - but they just went horribly wrong. I feel terribly for the mother - obviously she doesn't need any more heart ache than she already has. But, I really do think whoever took those pictures probably thought they were doing a good thing.

I agree. I know there is a non profit organization that does this for parents who's babies have died but if the mother didnt give her consent they never should have taken pictures of her son. Such a horrible situtaion.

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

Posted by Blissful

Posted by EndlessSummer719

Posted by InShock

I guess I'm the only one who thinks that the hospital likely had good intentions - but they just went horribly wrong. I feel terribly for the mother - obviously she doesn't need any more heart ache than she already has. But, I really do think whoever took those pictures probably thought they were doing a good thing.

I agree. I know there is a non profit organization that does this for parents who's babies have died but if the mother didnt give her consent they never should have taken pictures of her son. Such a horrible situtaion.

NILMDTS provides photography services for babies who have passed but only with the written consent of parents and babies arent dressed and undressed and posed. I'm a photographer for this association and this is NOT something we would do. I think someone at the hospital did it and whether the intentions were good or not it is not something that should EVER EVER be done without express written permission from the guardians.....

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

Wow, such a heartbreaking story. To think that this mother will have this visuals in her head for the rest of her life. My heart breaks for her.

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

Just the mere thought that someone touched and held and played with her baby after she was the last one who should have held him makes me furious and so sad for this woman. OMG. I am sick to my stomach. How and why did this happen? And then to email them to her? OMG. SUE SUE SUE

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

SICKOS!!

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

I saw on the pregnancy or parenting board there was someone who takes pictures of your baby if it has pased away at birth, or within hours of death at birth. My FIRST reaction was "WHAAAAA?????".

Personally, i would NEVER EVER do something like that. Please G-d I wont ever be in that position. There is a creep factor far beyond what *I* can even understand.

With that said, its not for me, but DOES bring comfort to OTHERS. I personally cant even IMAGINE doing something like this. Others, I have read, cant imagine NOT having it. And its a "to each their own".

So I can understand maybe someone said "lets do it" because maybe the woman might change her mind....or something liek that. Maybe they had her best intentions.

but to send you an album of "heres your dead baby"............no words.

My heart goes out for her loss and her pain.

Message edited 5/22/2011 11:46:48 PM.

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

Oh, the poor lady!!!! Mary

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

I cannot imagine getting that in the mail, poor lady, I hope she gets billions.

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

That's a tough call...I have to say, I'm not sure who is to blame here.
When we lost our son, I was never asked if I wanted photos of him or not, nor was my husband...but we did get pictures of him. It was only a few pics, not an album. I honestly can't remember if we received them in the mail or were handed them at some point. (he died almost immediately after birth).

For me - those images are horrible, I can't even look at them. For my DH and my mother, they were a source of comfort...

Each person handles death differently, and I think the hospital had good intentions but things went horribly wrong.

Re: Mother Sues Hospital Over Photos Of Dead Son

omg! how horrible!