California Woman is Suing Hospital She Claims Lost Her Daughter’s Body For a Year

Nationwide — Ginger Congi, a resident of Sacramento, California, is grieving the tragic loss of her daughter, Jessie Peterson. Peterson, known for her bubbly and energetic personality, was a beloved figure who touched the lives of those around her. Despite her vibrant nature, she struggled with Type I diabetes, frequently receiving care at Mercy San Juan Medical Center. Her last hospital admission occurred in April 2023, which would tragically be her final visit.

According to WLBT, during her stay at the hospital, Jessie expressed a strong desire to return home. However, Congi urged her daughter to remain in the hospital, believing it was the safest place for her to receive the necessary care. “I told her she was in the best place for the best care, she needed to stay put,” Congi recalled, emphasizing her trust in the hospital’s ability to care for her daughter.

A few days later, Congi called the hospital to check on Jessie, only to be met with a shocking response. The hospital staff informed her that they had no record of anyone by that name being there. Despite Congi’s insistence, explaining that she had spoken to her daughter just days earlier, the hospital maintained that Jessie was not a patient. This baffling and distressing news left Congi with no choice but to file a missing persons report, beginning a year-long search for her daughter.

For the next year, Congi tirelessly searched for Jessie, distributing flyers throughout the community in the hope of finding her. The family’s nightmare continued until April when a detective delivered heartbreaking news: Jessie’s body had been found at the hospital and transferred to a cold storage facility shortly after her death. This revelation was devastating, especially given that the family had been unaware of her death for an entire year.

Marc Greenberg, the family’s attorney, has since filed a lawsuit against the hospital, accusing them of gross negligence. According to Greenberg, the hospital failed to fulfill its legal obligations under California law, which requires a death certificate to be issued within 15 hours and the next of kin to be notified immediately. Instead, the death certificate was completed over a year after Jessie’s death, a delay that has only compounded the family’s grief.

In response to the lawsuit, Dignity Health issued a brief statement expressing their condolences to the family but refrained from commenting on the ongoing litigation. Ginger Congi, however, remains deeply disillusioned with the hospital, stating, “I have absolutely no faith in your hospital and the care for patients. You’ve lost that from me.” The family’s tragic ordeal underscores the importance of accountability and communication in healthcare.