Dead
Marine's Parents Shocked After Son's Body Returned Without Heart
The parents of Sgt. Brian LaLoup are suing the Defense
Department and the Navy, alleging that officials in Greece removed their son's
heart during an illegal autopsy, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
They are also reportedly considering action against government entities in
Greece.
Craig and Beverly LaLoup are alleging negligence and
mistreatment of their son's remains, saying his "heart was stolen and illegally harvested by the Greek government." Aaron Freiwald, a lawyer for the
family, said the couple is accusing the U.S. military of allowing Sgt. LaLoup's
heartless body to be buried without giving them any notification the organ was
missing.
Brian was taken to an Athens hospital and pronounced dead. The
family says his body was left unguarded and because of that, the body was moved
to a Greek morgue where, several days later, an illegal autopsy was performed.
It was during that autopsy that Brian’s heart was removed, according to the
complaint.
The sergeant’s body
was flown back to the United States and upon arrival at Dover Air Force Base, a
second autopsy was performed. The LaLoups say that’s when officials realized
the heart was gone. However, the family claims they were never told their son’s
heart was gone until after he was buried.
According to the Inquirer, a military official "accidentally" let it
slip that Sgt. LaLoup's heart had been removed when his parents were being told
that parts of their son's scalp were missing.
"I was absolutely devastated," Beverly LaLoup said,
according to ABC 10 News. "I was
hysterical. I was running around the house, hyperventilating."
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