Can I find out what happened to a deceased relatives unborn children?

Question

In 1959, my great-aunt was pregnant with twins, when she suddenly dropped dead. The twins would have been about 8 months gestation, and no one in my family knows what happened to them. Some seem to think they were never taken from her, some seem to think they were buried at her feet in the casket. Is there any way I can find out which is true?

Answer 1

her death certificate would say..My friends daughter died from drowning and she was eight months pregnant and the child was not taken from her.

Answer 2

You could find her gravesite, and see what, if anything, is written on the tombstone. You could find the county where she died, and see what deaths are recorded for the day she died. You could see if there was a birth certificate for that day, or the next, for her last name.

None of these is guaranteed. People were less interested in paperwork 50 years ago.

Answer 3

Someone has her death certificate, and it would state her as pregnant if indeed she was.  The only way they could have been "removed"  was with a surviving family members permission.  Since nobody knows anything, I suggest you start at the cemetery or get a copy of her death certificate.

Answer 4

Nothingusefullearned at school I believe gave you the best answer. Ask relatives.  However, HIPAA laws might not allow hospitals to give info to you.    A death certificate might reveal the information but you might not be able to get the death certificate.  Each state has its own laws about who, when and where a person can obtain vital information on another if they are not immediate family, parents, son and daughter.  In Texas, you can get one 25 years after death, but some states require you wait longer.

Answer 5

There are a lot of "depends". You said that she was pregnant, so more than likely the babies died with her. Modern intervention to "rescue" unborn children was not very sophisticated at that time.

The only hope of finding out just exactly what happened is to talk to a relative who would know for certain or find the hospital record, if any.