The family members of a Chicago based man, Alfonso Bennet were left dumbfounded after he suddenly appeared at a friend’s barbecue party while preparations for his burial were ongoing.
A certain man fitting the description of Alfonso, according to the police, had been rushed to a hospital in Chicago in April after being badly injured from a car accident.
And weeks after, doctors informed the family members that Alfonso’s health had deteriorated beyond recovery after he had been kept on life support since he got admitted.
It eventually turned out that Alfonso had been mistaken for another 69-year-old man, Elisha Brittman after he joined the family at a party.
‘He’s here! He’s alive!” Alfonso’s sister is said to have screamed upon seeing him.
After it was established that it was a case of mistaken identity, the families involved filed a lawsuit against the police officers through an attorney, Cannon Lambert.
In his reaction, the attorney commented, “The bottom line is this mistaken identity situation was something we think could have easily been avoided and should have been avoided.”
Although it remains unclear whether any punishment would be meted out to the officers, the Police department has published a statement concerning the incidence.
It reads, “To say that we currently have questions is an understatement. We have detectives looking into every aspect of this incident — from the incident response to the circumstances leading to the hospitalization and the notification of family members.”
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