Tragedy at Taylor

Taylor University, my alma mater (class of 1994) is in the news. Five students were killed in an accident on April 6th. A tractor trailer crossed the median of I-69 just miles from the Upland, Indiana campus. Earlier this week, we learned that two of these students were misidentified. I can't begin to imagine how awful this must be for both families. In one case, a family's hopes have been crushed; not only must they go through the grieving process, but they also have invested an incredible amount of emotional energy and worry wishing for the recovery of their loved one. In the other case, a family who thought they had burred their loved one, is told their daughter has been alive all this time.

I don't typically comment on these things. My heart goes out to all the families involved as well as the broader Taylor community. I also feel for the Marion County coroner, an elected official who lacks a medical background. He's become the scapegoat in this tragedy; with some asking why there was no forensic identification efforts. It appears to me that this misidentification is the product of multiple factors, which can not be reduced to one person or one official. This case illustrates how institutional linkages (public safety, medical, university public relations, and media among others) can function like a child's game of telephone.