Grieving Couple|Suffers Double Blow

ST. LOUIS (CN) - A hospital and a mortuary lost the corpse of a grieving couple's baby, the couple claims in City Court.

LaNette Merriman and Terrel Howard claim Barnes Jewish Hospital and the Austin A. Layne Mortuary still cannot find the body. Merriman says she delivered the stillborn infant on Dec. 22, 2011.

"Plaintiff LaNette Merriman and defendant Barnes Jewish Hospital made the necessary arrangements to have a fetopsy conducted to determined the cause of death, and plaintiff signed the necessary documents to have the body of Baby Merriman picked up by defendant Austin A. Layne Mortuary, Inc., for funeral and burial," the complaint states.

"Plaintiff LaNette Merriman, through her representative, contacted defendant Austin A. Layne Mortuary, Inc., to pick up Baby Merriman from Barnes Jewish Hospital for a burial.

"During the course of this process, Baby Merriman's remains were lost by the defendants, and to this date, the body of Baby Merriman has not been found."

The plaintiffs seek punitive damages for pain and suffering and emotional distress. They are represented by David Mayer with Monsees Miller Mayer, of Kansas City, Mo.

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