A Michigan mother says she buried her son without all of his body parts — after first responders allegedly left large portions of his brain, skull, and scalp scattered at the crash scene and discarded some remains in a common garbage bin.
Jessica Ostrowski filed a federal lawsuit after discovering what happened following the July 2023 death of her 19-year-old son, Ethan Bennett.
The Fatal Crash
Ethan died after a fatal motorcycle accident in Inkster, Michigan. The crash caused a catastrophic head injury, leaving his brain fully removed from his skull at the scene.
According to an Inkster Police Department investigator’s report, skull fragments and hair were scattered across the parking lot and cement blocks at the crash site.
The Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office arrived to collect Bennett’s body and all separated remains. The Irving Fire Department then ordered a wash down of the scene.
What Was Left Behind
After the scene was officially released, Ostrowski discovered that large pieces of her son’s brain and scalp were still on the pavement — and some had been thrown into a nearby garbage bin.
She had already held his funeral and had him cremated before learning the full truth.
Bennett’s autopsy report revealed that during examination, no brain matter was present internally. Medical examiners noted they separately received approximately 500 grams of brain tissue — less than half the average adult male brain weight of 1,400 grams.
The Lawsuit
Ostrowski’s complaint accuses Inkster police and county workers of violating her son’s dignity and her constitutional rights under the Fourteenth Amendment, which protects a next of kin’s right to properly bury their loved one.
“They released the scene without first verifying that Ethan’s remains had been properly handled,” her attorneys argue.
‘No Closure’
Ostrowski says the experience has been devastating.
“No mother, or anybody, should ever have to go to a crash scene and witness that,” she said. “There’s still no closure.”
The case is currently pending in the Eastern District of Michigan.