WA WA - Baby Price, Stillborn, Tacoma, 17-1067, 8 Apr 2017

[Gardener1850]

17-1067 Baby Price, was stillborn on 04/08/17 at a hospital in Tacoma. She remains unclaimed by her family.

50 Unclaimed Human Remains, Including People From Lakewood

 

[Cubby]

17-1067 Baby Price, was stillborn on 04/08/17 at a hospital in Tacoma. She remains unclaimed by her family.

50 Unclaimed Human Remains, Including People From Lakewood

Like the other newborn case, I don't think this is a case where family can not be located, but rather are unable to claim the remains.

With such a tragic loss, and unknown financial situation, it might simply be too difficult to claim.

I could be wrong, but not all of the persons listed in the article indicate family could not be found.

 

[Gardener1850]

Like the other newborn case, I don't think this is a case where family can not be located, but rather are unable to claim the remains.

With such a tragic loss, and unknown financial situation, it might simply be too difficult to claim.

I could be wrong, but not all of the persons listed in the article indicate family could not be found.

Perhaps in their grief they did not understand they needed to claim her. Or perhaps you are right and they lack the funds to claim her for cremation or burial. What we can contribute is awareness, compassion and resources. I'm not from Washington State, but many members are and perhaps our members know of resources for this family to help them claim their baby and have a memorial. The article says that if the remains are not claimed by Aug. 24 they will be buried at sea. This thread existing gives another chance for the family to realize they need to claim her and act in case they are unaware of the situation. JMO.

 

[jlbd783]

Perhaps in their grief they did not understand they needed to claim her. Or perhaps you are right and they lack the funds to claim her for cremation or burial. What we can contribute is awareness, compassion and resources.

When my father passed away I had no savings. He had been in a nursing home the last year or so of his life and had no savings and he also had no life insurance.

I had to make the decision whether to remove life support from him and ended up talking to the doctor who was his assigned doctor in the ICU about this (which I didn't think he would have much in the way of answers but could point me in the direction of someone who knew what I could do.

I ended up speaking to a counselor at the hospital about how to get help and she recommended calling the Dept of Social Services because since my dad had been in a nursing home, technically had no income/assets and no life insurance that he should qualify for cremation/burial assistance. He also had medicaid which helped verify the information in their system very quickly and the whole process was very fast and streamlined. I did it all by phone, it gets applied for in the deceased persons name and your name goes on the application (I'm guessing) as the requester of the benefits since obviously a deceased person can't request funds. DSS covered the cost of cremation at a discounted rate but in full. If it weren't for them my dad would have ended up as one of these many unclaimed people. :/

Anyway, I just wanted to put that information out there incase anyone needs it when contacting families who can not afford cremation or burial costs. They do not cover typical funeral costs (like having a wake, etc. From what I remember about non-cremation they cover the cost of certain coffins, the processing of the body and burial cost. Basically the essentials. For cremations they cover the cremation itself and that's it, at least here. No urn, no wake, getting the ashes buried would have cost me an additional fee (I think it was ~$400ish if I would have chose to do so). I still haven't gotten my dad an urn because of personal financial issues but they placed his ashes in a bag and then in a box and it's been almost 2 years and so far it's held up but I need to replace that when I can obviously.

I'll try to dig out the papers from the funeral home that broke down the cost and how it was all covered and what wasn't so there can be a little more information. I know it's too late to be of help to this case but if my experience can help even one family it's worth me posting the comment.

 

[buttonbaby]

When my father passed away I had no savings. He had been in a nursing home the last year or so of his life and had no savings and he also had no life insurance.

I had to make the decision whether to remove life support from him and ended up talking to the doctor who was his assigned doctor in the ICU about this (which I didn't think he would have much in the way of answers but could point me in the direction of someone who knew what I could do.

I ended up speaking to a counselor at the hospital about how to get help and she recommended calling the Dept of Social Services because since my dad had been in a nursing home, technically had no income/assets and no life insurance that he should qualify for cremation/burial assistance. He also had medicaid which helped verify the information in their system very quickly and the whole process was very fast and streamlined. I did it all by phone, it gets applied for in the deceased persons name and your name goes on the application (I'm guessing) as the requester of the benefits since obviously a deceased person can't request funds. DSS covered the cost of cremation at a discounted rate but in full. If it weren't for them my dad would have ended up as one of these many unclaimed people. :/

Anyway, I just wanted to put that information out there incase anyone needs it when contacting families who can not afford cremation or burial costs. They do not cover typical funeral costs (like having a wake, etc. From what I remember about non-cremation they cover the cost of certain coffins, the processing of the body and burial cost. Basically the essentials. For cremations they cover the cremation itself and that's it, at least here. No urn, no wake, getting the ashes buried would have cost me an additional fee (I think it was ~$400ish if I would have chose to do so). I still haven't gotten my dad an urn because of personal financial issues but they placed his ashes in a bag and then in a box and it's been almost 2 years and so far it's held up but I need to replace that when I can obviously.

I'll try to dig out the papers from the funeral home that broke down the cost and how it was all covered and what wasn't so there can be a little more information. I know it's too late to be of help to this case but if my experience can help even one family it's worth me posting the comment.

Thank you so very much jlbd783 for sharing such a personal experience and all of the emotions that go along with it, and especially for your thoughtfulness as to how your story and its information may help other families... xo....

 

[jlbd783]

Thank you so very much jlbd783 for sharing such a personal experience and all of the emotions that go along with it, and especially for your thoughtfulness as to how your story and its information may help other families... xo....

Welcome. I definitely try to pass the info along whenever possible because I know it's insanely expensive and many people can qualify for the assistance if they don't have insurance or savings for it. I know I was stressed out before they said they'd do it and if it helps anyone else avoid that unneeded stress then I feel I did my part.

 

[peace+love]

Wait so the baby was born in a hospital and is still unidentified? Did the woman give false information??

 

[Goecke]

Wait so the baby was born in a hospital and is still unidentified? Did the woman give false information??

She's unclaimed, not unidentified. They know who she is, but nobody has claimed her body for proper burial/cremation. As mentioned further up the thread, it's likely her family couldn't afford these services and therefore never claimed her body.