In the United States, a public autopsy was performed on a war veteran who bequeathed his body to science. The event took place at the hotel, entrance fees were up to $500.

His widow found out about it from the news

at Portland's Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront Hotel on October 17 took place On October 17 , a public anatomical autopsy of the body of 98-year-old World War II veteran David Saunders from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, . For attending the event asked from 100 to 500 dollars.

According to media reports, about 70 people gathered in the room where the autopsy took place - among them were students, anthropologists and therapists. The preparation was performed by a certified pathologist. He laid out the organs on the table, commented on the autopsy process and simultaneously answered questions from the audience.

The event was also attended by a journalist from the Portland television channel King 5 News, where they later showed blurry footage of the autopsy, which caused a public outcry. Thanks to a news story, Saunders' widow, 92-year-old Elsie Saunders, learned about the incident. According to her, she did not consent to a public autopsy.

Saunders said that her husband really bequeathed the body for scientific research. In August, he died of coronavirus, because of this, his body could not be accepted at Louisiana State University. Then the pensioner turned to the funeral home of the city of Baton Rouge. There, she was asked to contact Med Ed Labs in Nevada, which supplies bodies for scientific research to the government, military, and non-profit organizations. Saunders did just that: she signed the necessary papers and handed over her husband's body. The elderly woman was not warned that it could be used in a public autopsy.

As journalists found out, the event was organized by Death Science and Oddities & Curiosities Expo, to which Med Ed Labs handed over the body of the deceased. As follows from the advertisement, the autopsy was conceived as a "workshop", the participants of which will be able to "observe the anatomical dissection of the human body."

The management of Death Science has already apologized to the widow of the man and stated that he understands how stressful this incident could have been for the family and friends of David Saunders. At the same time, representatives of the Med Ed Labs laboratory emphasized that there were no violations on their part, given that the wife of the deceased signed the documents and donated the body to the needs of science. In turn, the hotel administration assured that they were not aware of the details and nature of the event. The Portland police said they would not open a criminal case, because formally the law had not been violated.

Retold by Maxim Ivanov