Man accuses hospital and coroner of losing baby's remains

A Belleville man is suing St. Clair County Coroner Rick Stone and St. Elizabeth's Hospital claiming the defendants lost the remains of his deceased baby.

Ed Goodrich filed suit March 5 in St. Clair County Circuit on behalf of himself and "Baby Boy Goodrich," whose remains he claims were in the custody of the hospital from March through July 2014.

The lawsuit does not provide detail on the child's death. The suit indicates that the child's remains were sent to the hospital morgue for the purpose of "conducting scientific and forensic post-mortem examinations."

Goodrich claims that when he requested the remains for burial, "defendant admitted that the remains were lost."

He claims to have suffered severe mental anguish and emotional and physical distress.

Goodrich seeks in excess of $50,000 in damages.

He is represented by Charles Stegmeyer of Belleville.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-129.