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| Wrong Chicago family takes 'brother' off life support amid mistaken identity | Wrong Chicago family takes 'brother' off life support amid mistaken identity |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A US hospital switched off life support for a patient after the wrong family gave its consent, a lawsuit alleges. | A US hospital switched off life support for a patient after the wrong family gave its consent, a lawsuit alleges. |
| The man was taken to Mercy Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, in April, after being found lying unconscious beneath a car, naked with facial injuries. | |
| Chicago police identified him though mug shots as Alfonso Bennett, and in May the hospital contacted relatives. | Chicago police identified him though mug shots as Alfonso Bennett, and in May the hospital contacted relatives. |
| He died after they agreed to switch off the life support, but the real Mr Bennett later showed up at a barbecue. | He died after they agreed to switch off the life support, but the real Mr Bennett later showed up at a barbecue. |
| His family were arranging his funeral when Mr Bennett reappeared, having been away. | His family were arranging his funeral when Mr Bennett reappeared, having been away. |
| After fingerprinting him at the morgue, police then named the dead man as Elisha Brittman, 69, and his real family were eventually contacted. | After fingerprinting him at the morgue, police then named the dead man as Elisha Brittman, 69, and his real family were eventually contacted. |
| Both families are now suing the hospital and the city of Chicago for negligence and inflicting intentional emotional distress. | Both families are now suing the hospital and the city of Chicago for negligence and inflicting intentional emotional distress. |
| 'I could not recognise him' | 'I could not recognise him' |
| When he arrived at the hospital, the victim was listed as John Doe, meaning his real name was unknown. | When he arrived at the hospital, the victim was listed as John Doe, meaning his real name was unknown. |
| After being told that Mr Bennett was in hospital, his siblings expressed doubts that the man was their brother when they went to visit him. | After being told that Mr Bennett was in hospital, his siblings expressed doubts that the man was their brother when they went to visit him. |
| "I said 'how did you all verify this was my brother?'" Rosie Brooks, his sister, told reporters on Wednesday. "In my heart I could not recognise him." | "I said 'how did you all verify this was my brother?'" Rosie Brooks, his sister, told reporters on Wednesday. "In my heart I could not recognise him." |
| The hospital staff told the sisters they could not recognise him because of his facial injuries and suggested they were struggling to come to terms with the situation. | The hospital staff told the sisters they could not recognise him because of his facial injuries and suggested they were struggling to come to terms with the situation. |
| Mr Bennett's real whereabouts during that period are unclear. | Mr Bennett's real whereabouts during that period are unclear. |
| Mercy Hospital has refused to comment on the case. | Mercy Hospital has refused to comment on the case. |
| Who really died? | Who really died? |
| The man who was found beneath the car in Chicago was Elisha Brittman, 69. | The man who was found beneath the car in Chicago was Elisha Brittman, 69. |
| When his family were finally called, they said he had been missing for some time. | When his family were finally called, they said he had been missing for some time. |
| "We called the morgues. We called the hospital," Mioshi Brittman, his great niece, told CBS news. "We called everywhere." | "We called the morgues. We called the hospital," Mioshi Brittman, his great niece, told CBS news. "We called everywhere." |
| She said it should not have happened. | She said it should not have happened. |
| What will happen now? | What will happen now? |
| A lawyer for the Bennett family, Cannon Lambert, said it was unacceptable for the "hospital and law enforcement to perceive people as invisible". | A lawyer for the Bennett family, Cannon Lambert, said it was unacceptable for the "hospital and law enforcement to perceive people as invisible". |
| State Senator Patricia Van Pelt said police should have used either fingerprinting or DNA to try to immediately establish the patient's identity. | State Senator Patricia Van Pelt said police should have used either fingerprinting or DNA to try to immediately establish the patient's identity. |
| "To say that we currently have questions is an understatement," Chicago Police chief communications officer, Anthony Guglielmi, tweeted in June. | |
| "We have detectives looking into every aspect of this incident", he added. | "We have detectives looking into every aspect of this incident", he added. |