Hospital confirms remains of 2nd stillborn baby are missing

Regions Hospital says a second stillborn baby's remains were accidentally placed in laundry sent out for cleaning.

Regions confirmed that remains found in a Red Wing commercial laundry earlier this week came from the hospital's morgue. The remains were of a stillborn baby at 22 weeks' gestational age.

The St. Paul hospital subsequently checked its records and found the remains of a stillborn of 19 gestational weeks were also missing.

It was likely a staff member accidentally put both sets of remains in the laundry, said Region's chief nursing officer Christine Boese.

"We have searched everywhere, we've checked into everything," she said. "It unfortunately may be that we just will not know what happened to the remains."

The hospital has apologized to the families, Boese said, and added security and supervision to make sure the mistake does not happen again.

Regions said it has not identified the hospital staffer responsible.