Inkster family demands changes after dying father listed as 'John Doe' at hospital

DEARBORN, Mich. – A family from Inkster is demanding changes at Beaumont hospitals.

The family said if the Dearborn Beaumont Hospital had handled things differently, they might have been able to say goodbye to their father. 

James White was in a car crash Aug. 20. His four children told Local 4 he was taken to Dearborn Beaumont Hospital, but when they went to check on him, hospital staff said he wasn't there.

The hospital reached out to the family two days later, they said, and told them White was at the hospital and on life support. Paige White said there was some confusion over her father's identity and he was listed as a John Doe.

The family said he had several documents confirming his identity and there was no reason he should have been misidentified. 

A protest was held outside the hospital Saturday. Friends and family members marched and demanded accountability. 

Beaumont Hospitals released a statement regarding the incident. It can be read below.

"The patient received immediate medical attention when he arrived at our hospital, but we have contacted his family to apologize for the identification delay issues that occurred. 

We are sincerely sorry and have already taken steps to prevent something like this from happening again. 

Our goal is to provide exceptional patient and family centered care every day. In this situation, we did not meet the needs of our patient or his family. We are committed to doing better."