The family of Jessie Peterson, a 31-year-old woman, endured a year-long nightmare searching for her after being falsely informed that she had discharged herself from a California hospital against medical advice. Tragically, they later discovered that Peterson had been dead the entire time.

Family’s Desperate Search for Jessie Peterson

Jessie Peterson died in the care of Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Sacramento in April 2023, but the hospital failed to notify her family and instead sent her body to an off-site storage facility where it was left to decompose for nearly a year. Peterson’s mother, Ginger Congi, and her sisters filed a civil lawsuit against the hospital earlier this month, accusing it of negligence, the negligent handling of a corpse, and the negligent infliction of emotional distress. The lawsuit describes the hospital’s conduct as “malicious and outrageous,” highlighting the severe emotional toll it has taken on the family.

Hospital’s Failure and the Heartbreaking Discovery

Peterson, who suffered from type 1 diabetes, was admitted to Mercy San Juan on April 6, 2023, during a diabetic episode. Two days later, she contacted her mother, asking for a ride home as she expected to be discharged. However, when Congi later inquired about her daughter’s status, she was told that Peterson had left the hospital against medical advice on April 8.

For the next year, the family tirelessly searched for Peterson, posting flyers, speaking with unhoused individuals, and contacting law enforcement and the coroner’s office. Their hopes were shattered on April 12, 2024, when the Sacramento County detective’s office informed them that Peterson had died at Mercy San Juan a year earlier. According to her death certificate, which was only completed in April 2024, Peterson died of cardiopulmonary arrest at age 31.

When Peterson’s sister visited the coroner’s office to retrieve her remains, she was told that they did not have the body. Instead, she was directed to contact the hospital, which proved unresponsive. Eventually, a mortuary informed the family that Peterson’s body had been found in one of the hospital’s off-site storage facilities. By that time, her remains were so decomposed that the family was unable to obtain fingerprints or hold an open-casket funeral. The advanced decomposition also made it impossible to perform an autopsy that could have revealed any potential medical malpractice.

Legal Battle for Justice

The family’s lawsuit claims that Mercy San Juan’s failures to notify them of Peterson’s death, to issue a timely death certificate, and to properly handle her remains were not only negligent but also “careless and heartless.” The lawsuit argues that the hospital violated its promises of dignity and respect for patients, with conduct so egregious that it “shocks the conscience.” The family is seeking over $5 million in damages, along with punitive damages to hold the hospital accountable for its “outrageous and inexcusable negligence.”

Dignity Health, the organization that operates Mercy San Juan, issued a brief statement expressing sympathy for the family’s loss but declined to comment on the pending litigation. As the legal battle unfolds, the Peterson family continues to grapple with the devastating impact of the hospital’s alleged negligence and the loss of their loved one.