A West Island man is speaking after his wife’s body was cremated before an autopsy could be performed. Joe Lerario’s wife, Wendy Ann Lariviere, underwent quadruple bypass surgery at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) on Nov. 27. Doctors initially told him the operation had gone well, but Lariviere never woke up. She was moved to the intensive care unit, where she died on Nov. 29. The hospital asked Lerario if he wanted an autopsy on his wife’s body. “I said, absolutely. There was no hesitation on my part because this is unusual. I wanted to know why,” he said. When Lerario called the hospital days later for an update, he says he was told no request had ever been filed. He later learned his wife’s body had already been released to a funeral home and cremated before the autopsy he requested could take place. “I was devastated,” said Lerario. Lerario filed a complaint with the hospital’s ombudsman earlier this year. The five-page report concluded the missed autopsy was the result of “human error in processing the autopsy request.” According to the report, the hospital relies on a manual system rather than a digital one when processing autopsy requests. The ombudsman had flagged similar concerns as far back as 2020. A digital overhaul of the system at the MUHC is currently under study. In an email statement, the MUHC’s media relations advisor Annie-Claire Fournier said the hospital “extends its sincere condolences to Mr. Lerario and his family,” adding “that unanswered questions after a death can deepen a family’s grief.” Fournier said the MUHC does not comment on specific cases, citing privacy. But she writes, “In 2026, the MUHC developed written guidance for bereaved families. It explains the next hospital steps, the role of an autopsy, possible involvement of the coroner, funeral home arrangements and whom families may contact with questions. The MUHC is also reviewing and updating its institutional policy governing the care and release of deceased persons.” Lerario says he remains skeptical. The lost autopsy means he will never know what caused his wife’s death, or whether she had any underlying conditions that their son and grandson should know about. He says the MUHC failed to do its due diligence. “All it takes is a phone call to find out,” he said.
