Hospital removed organs without consent

SOUTHAMPTON, England, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Parents in England are learning their dead children's organs were removed without consent, mother's say.

Melanie Ware's 3-month-old son Jordon died in his crib in 1997. Lisa Burton's epileptic 3-year-old daughter Zoe died in her sleep the same year, and each mother was informed several weeks ago that their children's brains had been removed and stored at Southampton General Hospital, according to The Sun newspaper.

The newspaper has now reported on seven "missing parts" cases, all involving the same hospital.

"It's disgraceful. It made me ashamed because I couldn't even bury my son properly," said Ware.

Burton said, "They told me her brain had been removed. No one had asked permission. I knew samples had to be taken for tests, but not the whole organs. I had the brain cremated on the day Zoe would have turned 18."

Both families arranged a second funeral for their children.

Southampton Hospital insisted there was no wrongdoing on its part, responding that "our involvement in these cases is minimal. We acted as a storage facility for the police/Home Office/coroner."