One year after searching for her missing son, Omaira Merced learned that 28-year-old Joel Ortiz had been dead for months, but was never told.

She’s now filing a lawsuit against University Hospital and two police departments for failing to notify next of kin. Omaira Merced says her son Joel was found on a street in Newark in September 2024, just two weeks after she had started searching for him.

He died of cardiac arrest at University Hospital, but she didn’t learn of his death until a detective with the Irvington Police Department told her in September 2025.

Merced has learned that University Hospital, Newark police and Irvington police never notified her, even though Joel was identified by fingerprints following his death.

Adding to her grief is the fact that Joel was buried in an unmarked grave without her knowledge at a cemetery in North Bergen.

“If they had looked for the next of kin, they would have found me. Someone didn’t do their job,” said Omaira Merced. “It was probably another person that they felt didn’t matter or didn’t have family.

Merced has hired attorney Steve Haddad, of the Haddad Law Firm.

“We are trying to make sure this doesn’t happen to any other family. This is something that is a basic level function for government and they clearly failed here,” said Haddad. “His mother at the very least deserves answers and accountability. Irvington delayed and for months, this family was left to search for Joel on their own.”

Omaira Merced says she will have her son exhumed from the cemetery in North Bergen and transferred to her family’s plot in Roselle.

University Hospital says it will not comment on pending litigation.

Irvington police have not responded to News 12's calls for comment.