Woman's body ordered removed from hospital

By Kevin Dayton
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

HILO, Hawai'i — Hospital officials have finally obtained a court order requiring removal of a decomposing body left in the Hilo Medical Center morgue for 18 months.

Miles Takaaze, public affairs director for Hawai'i Health Systems Corp., said the corporation will now seek more than $15,000 from the dead woman's estate to cover the cost of storing the body since it was brought to the hospital Dec. 11, 2002.

Takaaze said this is the longest a body has been left at the hospital, which is owned and operated by the quasi-public hospital corporation. Under federal privacy laws, the hospital cannot release the name of the "deceased female."

Earlier this year, lawyers for the hospital sued the woman's estate, saying the hospital and the operator of the morgue had asked 14 times that the body be removed.

State law allows the hospital to make arrangements to dispose of unclaimed bodies, and provides for public money to pay for disposal when relatives cannot afford private burial. But neither law applied in this case, and the hospital has no authority to act when the body is claimed but not removed.

Takaaze said two autopsies were performed on the body, but a lawyer for the woman's estate wanted further information or evidence.

Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 935-3916.