Mourning the Wrong Girl

(CBS)  In a case of mistaken identity, two Arizona families were shocked as they found out the truth about two young women involved in a tragic car accident.

The family of Abby Guerra has spent the last week planning their daughter's funeral. The 19-year-old college sophomore and four friends were involved in a car crash after their SUV suffered a blowout returning from a trip to Disneyland.

Pictures: Tragic Case of Mistaken Identity
Hospital: Severe Injuries Led to ID Mistake
Family Questions How Hospital Mix-Up Happened

The Guerra family was first told that Abby died at the scene. But on Saturday, six days after the accident, they learned that there'd been a mix up -- it was 21-year-old Marlena Cantu who died, and that Abby was alive and in critical condition at a Phoenix hospital.

Guerra's aunt Dorenda Cisneros explained how confusing the feeling is when they found out the truth. "You're ecstatic for one -- I mean it's a miracle, but in the same, you're angry because we've mourned all week".

Friends of Cantu said her family was devastated when they learned their daughter was dead, after spending much time standing over the bed of a girl who was someone else's child.

"I'm devastated I'm disgusted that it happened this way," said Colleen Donovan, a friend of Cantu's.

Over the weekend, the Guerra family held a car wash in order to raise money for Abby's funeral. Instead, the money now will go towards her hospital bills and the funding of her friend's funeral.

[sciteach83]

How is it that this keeps happening? I remember this happened a few years ago where there was a mix-up. The girl that was alive was even telling people that she wasn't who they were saying she was. She didn't even have the same color eyes as the girl the family was saying she was.

[ouchitatom]

People who are not accustomed to being where death is ever present are mentally shocked and get physically wore out from the stress of the incident. I personally had to identify the bodies of my sister and her son as I was the first at the hospital. The wreck was horrible. However I have expierenced death on a daily basis in a far away land that now split but acting civil at this time.Two things a parent should never have to do . One is bury a child and or watch a child die from childhood cancer. Grief I believe in its harshest form shortens the life of the survivor to what extent we may never know . I think that part of our life just drains away to the ground and dissappears from us and takes the inner core zeal that our loved ones supplly to us like electricity to our souls.

[DaisyD.]

AZgirl7 "You have no idea what it is like to plan a funeral for your child for a week if you don't understand their anger."

Amen.

God bless them all. Nothing equals the pain of losing a child. Nothing. My heart goes out to the family who have kept vigil for the living girl w/hope while their daughter was buried by another family. I hope she makes it.

Any and all car washes to pay medical bills in this instance should be immediately canceled. Hospital gets to p/u this bill for this tragedy.

[tndv]

Hm...could it be that the hospital misidentified the girl with the help of the family standing over Cantu's bed? Don't you suppose they confirmed it was their daughter? Or at least they thought it was...I dunno, even if my kid's entire face was blown off, I'd be able to properly identify him. Still, sorry for their hopes lost; she was a beautiful girl.

[DaisyD.]

YOu have no idea what you're talking about and I hope you never do. Meanwhile, don't speak. Listen.

[HughDunnit]

Don't know how the hospital made a mistake in identifying the girl if the one girls family stood over their injured daughter for a week and didn't realize that it wasn't their daughter.

It's just a sad story all around. The devastation of losing a child must be overwhelming. The jubilation of finding out that your daughter didn't really die must also be overwhelming.

Best wishes to BOTH families.

[1984AnimalFarm]

It is too bad the medical establishment do not watch HOUSE or they would have known it was the wrong girl...

[Vet_Turner]

This same thing happened to another group of college girls years ago. Dataline did a piece on it.
Odd reaction by the parents; hopefully just out of context.

[rjunkin]

Yes, isn't it telling how everyone remembers a TV show about this, but no one remembers the well publicized actual event.

[kasubogene]

April 2006 - Taylor University students Whitney Cerak and Laura Van Ryn were involved in a similar vehicle crash/identity mix-up. Whitney, who was misidentified as Laura, was badly injured, face heavily bandaged, and in a coma. The Van Ryns were warned by the medical staff that Laura wouldn't look like herself due to her altered state. When she came out of the coma she had to relearn how to walk and talk. Laura's sister was the first to suspect the young woman wasn't her sibling and asked her directly as soon as Whitney was able to respond. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23849928/

[Itzik2]

"you're angry because we've mourned all week" - She is alive! Who cares that you mourned all week. Offer it up to the poor family that found out that their daughter is dead.

[ActionJunkie]

She is in CRITCAL condition. Yeah, think I'd be angry too especially if she passed hours within finding out she was alive! I'm sure they are sympathetic to the other family. *sigh does anyone use their brains anymore... no wonder the media spins us in circles like sheep.

[RicCrouch]

Yet another case of life imitating art. In an episode of "House" a few years ago, a building collapsed, and a young woman was injured. Her body didn't react correctly to medication, only to find out that the woman's medical records were wrong because she was a different woman than they thought.

It's a bittersweet thing--one family can be relieved that their loved one is alive, but another has their hope removed. Very sad...

[samzydeco1]

Notice how the relatives talk about themselves, how they "are angry because you've mourned all week"?
***?! Your niece is ALIVE! Now your emotions and effort should transfer to the family whose daughter is DEAD and forget about how YOU feel.
It just seems to me this is being set up for a lawsuit, which is disgusting. How did the media get the story?

[AZGIRL7]

You have no idea what it is like to plan a funeral for your child for a week if you don't understand their anger. Of course they are ecstatic, I know them, and they are also devastated for Marlena's family, but other people made decisions on extremely complicated surgeries for their daughter, and they weren't even aware or there to support her through it. The media got the story since there are press releases from the hospital, coroner's office, DPS, etc. Use your brain!

[samzydeco1]

AZGIRL7 - I don't know of too many hospitals that announce their own mistakes!