What began as a search for a missing grandmother in New York ended in heartbreak, confusion, and a lawsuit that’s raising chilling questions about the U.S. organ donation system.
Myriam Hoyos de Baldrich, 69, vanished from her son’s Long Island home on May 6, 2022. A day later, she was hit by a subway train in Manhattan. She arrived unidentified at Bellevue Hospital, where she was declared brain dead on May 9.
But that was only the beginning of the nightmare for her family.
Without informing or getting consent from anyone, doctors at NYU Langone Health removed nearly all of Myriam’s major organs — including her liver, kidneys, gallbladder, and even parts of her aorta — according to a lawsuit filed by her son and widower. The family says they weren’t even told she had died until after the organs had already been harvested.
The case has ignited public outrage and drawn new attention to a U.S. transplant system under fire for operating in the shadows — and for allegedly prioritizing donor quotas over ethical procedures.
‘She Didn’t Deserve This’
Despite being listed as a Jane Doe, Myriam was carrying personal belongings that could have helped identify her. A missing persons report had also been filed in Nassau County the day before her body was discovered. But still, her family wasn’t contacted before the surgeries began.
“My aunt deserved dignity,” said niece Stephanie Echeverria. “Instead, she was treated like property. No one called us. No one asked.”
Stephanie and her sister Emily say their devout Catholic aunt was not an organ donor and actually opposed the practice on religious grounds.
“You think you’re safe in a hospital — especially in a place like New York. But what happened to my aunt, it could happen to anyone,” Emily said. “She became a body with no name to them. Just parts to take.”
The Paper Trail That Sparked a Lawsuit
An authorization form obtained by the family’s attorney shows that Bellevue’s then-CEO, William Hicks, signed off on the organ removal as the 10th-in-line decision-maker under New York state law. The form states there was “no known objection” to the donation — a claim the family adamantly disputes.
The organs, according to LiveOnNY’s paperwork, were to be used for either transplantation or medical research.
But attorney Jeff Korek, who represents the family, says this wasn’t just a paperwork error — it was a systemic failure.
“There were clear steps to identify her. They had the means to call her family. Instead, they moved ahead, likely to meet quotas,” Korek said. “We believe there was a financial incentive to rush.”
He pointed to internal LiveOnNY emails revealed in prior reporting that show employees could receive bonuses for meeting donation goals.
Religious Leaders Speak Out
Myriam was seen attending church the very day she disappeared, according to Rev. Francis Shannon of St. Mary Star of the Sea in Queens. In a letter to the family, he condemned what happened, saying the church “deeply regrets” that she wasn’t afforded proper dignity in death.
“Our faith supports voluntary organ donation,” Shannon wrote. “But this was not voluntary. This was harvesting without consent.”
A National System Under Fire
Myriam’s story comes at a time when the U.S. organ procurement system is facing intense scrutiny. A New York Times investigation earlier this year found a transplant system riddled with oversight gaps and ethical breaches — including reports of organs being removed from donors who were not fully dead.
LiveOnNY, the organ procurement organization that handled Myriam’s case, had previously been cited for high rates of “skipped patients” and poor accountability. Although the organization claims it has dramatically improved performance in recent years, watchdog groups and families like the Baldrichs say much more transparency is needed.
More than 105,000 Americans are currently on transplant waiting lists. With an average of 132 transplants performed daily, the pressure to secure organs is immense.
That pressure, according to critics, may be leading some organizations to push boundaries — or worse, ignore them entirely.
A Family Refuses to Settle
The Baldrich family has rejected settlement offers, demanding full transparency over what happened and who authorized the procedures. They say the legal process has been slow and obstructed by hospital and organ procurement officials.
“They want us to go away quietly. But this can’t be buried like her organs were,” Stephanie said.
Korek agrees.
“The goal here isn’t just money — it’s justice. It’s making sure this doesn’t happen to another mother, another grandmother.”
A System in Need of Reform
In the wake of growing controversy, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has promised reforms. Advocacy groups are calling on Congress to close reporting gaps and create a unified oversight system for organ donations and transplants.
Meanwhile, Myriam’s story continues to serve as a warning.
She was a mother, a grandmother, a woman of faith — and now, her final moments are being examined in a courtroom as her family fights for answers.
“This was not just a mistake,” said Korek. “This was a tragedy. And someone needs to be held accountable.”
What You Need to Know:
- Myriam Hoyos de Baldrich disappeared May 6, 2022, and was fatally struck by a train the next day.
- She was declared brain dead as a Jane Doe at Bellevue Hospital.
- Her organs were removed without family consent, despite clues to her identity.
- A lawsuit alleges systemic failures and financial incentives behind the unauthorized donation.
- The case has reignited concerns about ethical standards in U.S. organ procurement.
- The family is seeking answers, not a payout.
As the national organ donor system faces its reckoning, the family of Myriam Hoyos de Baldrich continues to ask a single haunting question:
How many others are out there — who never got the chance to say no?
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