A Washington couple has filed a $10 million lawsuit against Salem Health after alleging they were left to arrange transportation for their deceased infant son themselves and were told to drive his body nearly four hours back to Seattle.
Aleksandr and Nataliya Yeremeyev filed the lawsuit in Multnomah County Circuit Court on September 18, 2026. The case involves the death of their son, Michael, who was eight months old when he died at Salem Hospital in Oregon in September 2024.
According to the complaint, Michael was born with Down syndrome and other significant health conditions. He spent the first six months of his life receiving hospital care before his family was able to take him home.
The family was visiting Oregon for a Christian retreat when Michael developed unusually rapid and shallow breathing shortly after midnight on September 22, 2024. His parents took him to Salem Hospital’s emergency department, where medical staff attempted lifesaving measures.
Michael died at approximately 2:44 a.m., according to the lawsuit.
Parents Say They Were Told to Take Their Son’s Body Home
The lawsuit alleges that after Michael’s death, the family repeatedly asked hospital staff how they could transport his remains back to Seattle in a manner consistent with their religious beliefs.
The parents say they were directed to consider using their own vehicle because arranging transportation through a local funeral home would be too expensive.
According to the complaint, hospital staff even suggested that Michael could be placed in his car seat for the trip. The parents ultimately placed his body in the back of their vehicle instead.
The family says they were already dealing with the shock of losing their child when they had to make decisions about transportation and funeral arrangements.
Nataliya and the couple’s other children traveled separately with another family member, while Aleksandr drove Michael toward Seattle.
The lawsuit says Aleksandr spent the approximately four-hour trip worried about being stopped by police, getting into a crash or having Michael’s condition deteriorate during the journey.
Family Says Paperwork Was Also an Issue
The parents also allege they asked hospital personnel for documentation that would allow them to transport Michael’s remains to Seattle.
According to the complaint, hospital staff said they did not have the appropriate paper or form available. The family says the only document they received was a handwritten note from a doctor on a prescription pad confirming that Michael had died.
During the drive, Aleksandr and Nataliya contacted funeral homes in the Seattle area to make arrangements for Michael’s remains.
The lawsuit further alleges that bodily fluids leaked onto the vehicle’s back seat during the journey and that Aleksandr later had to clean the vehicle.
Family Had Asked for a Dignified Arrangement
The parents say they wanted a funeral home to handle the transportation of Michael’s remains and had specifically raised concerns about following their religious practices.
The complaint alleges that instead of being given time to consider their options, they felt pressured to leave the hospital with their son’s body.
The lawsuit also describes Nataliya carrying Michael through the emergency department lobby after his death. The family alleges his skin had turned blue by that point.
The complaint argues that the parents should have been given an opportunity to grieve, contact relatives and make arrangements for their son’s remains without having to immediately handle the transportation themselves.
Salem Health Responds
Salem Health has said it cannot discuss the specific circumstances of the case because the matter is now in litigation.
In a statement, the health system expressed condolences to the Yeremeyev family and said the hospital acted in accordance with the family’s wishes, hospital policy and Oregon law while consulting with appropriate local authorities, including the medical examiner.
The health system also said treating patients and families with empathy, dignity and respect remains a guiding principle of its clinical practice.
Those statements differ from the family’s allegations, which will now be examined through the legal process.
Lawsuit Seeks $10 Million
The Yeremeyevs are seeking approximately $10 million in noneconomic damages, alleging that the circumstances surrounding the handling and transportation of Michael’s remains caused severe emotional distress and psychological trauma.
The lawsuit names Salem Health and related medical entities, as well as an emergency physician, as defendants.
The case is still in its early stages, and the allegations contained in the complaint have not been established in court.
The family’s attorneys have said they want the lawsuit to provide accountability and help determine what policies and procedures were in place at the hospital regarding the handling and transportation of a patient’s remains.
For the Yeremeyev family, the lawsuit centers not only on the loss of their son but also on how they say they were treated during the hours immediately following his death.
