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Family furious with Beaumont Hospital after late father spent days as a John Doe

Posted at 11:19 PM, Oct 11, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-12 10:51:52-04

DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) — A grieving Inkster family is demanding answers from Beaumont Hospital officials in Dearborn after their loved one was admitted as a John Doe.

Paige White and her siblings claim their father James Earl White, 66, was taken to the hospital after a traffic accident near Dix and Monti in Lincoln Park on Aug. 20.

"I don't know what he was treated for," White said. "Or if he was treated."

They claim he suffered a stroke while driving and wrecked into the back of another vehicle.

James suffered with chronic kidney disease.

On Aug. 21, White said the family became extremely concerned because they had not heard from their father and close friends he bowled with were also worried.

His daughter said they went to Beaumont Hospital and staff members told them he was not a patient and were turned away.

"We begged and pleaded with them," White said.

After an exhausting 48 hours, his daughter said she got a call from another hospital that told her he was at Beaumont in Dearborn. When they arrived to the hospital, their father was in grave condition, according to his children.

"He was literally being hooked up to life support," White said.

Her father died on Aug. 27.

The family said the hospital gave them a bag of his belongings with multiple forms of ID and a citation from Lincoln Park Police.

They claim their father was also wearing a dialysis bracelet with personal contact information.

"I have to find the strength to get this story out, so, it doesn't happen to anyone else," White said.

Beaumont Health released this statement:

"When any patient with life-threatening medical conditions comes to our emergency center, we deliver life-saving care immediately. After stabilizing the patient, we complete the registration process. The process to connect this patient with his family took longer than we desire, and we apologize for the stress this created. We are taking steps to prevent something like this from happening again."

7 Action News reached out to Lincoln Park Police about the investigation, and they did not immediately return our message.

The family is planning a protest for next Saturday.