COLUMBUS, Ohio — When a 34-year old Columbus woman died at Grant Medical Center last week, no one knew she was.
She was brought to the hospital after a two-car crash at the intersection of Brentnell and Holt avenues Thursday night after police said she ran a stop sign.
Her name was a mystery, because police said when they arrived at the scene, she had no identification.
Her name was Danielle Boyd.
Police say she was alive at the time of the crash. Her aunt tells 10TV Boyd died after three hours in the hospital.
“She had the prettiest smile, her smile lights up a room. She has the prettiest smile you have ever seen," said her aunt Cassie Groves.
Groves said police told Boyd’s mother they ran the license plate of her car and had an address, but didn’t drive to her mother’s home that was about a mile away.
Police say protocol requires them to be certain who a person is before knocking on the door of a family to relay the tragic news.
In this case, police said since Boyd died at the hospital, it would be up to the hospital or the coroner to deliver the death notification.
“No one had heard from her on Friday. When no one heard from her, everybody started getting worried,” Groves said.
The family said they searched for places she would go and after they came up empty, her brother filed a missing persons report Sunday night.
When the detective on the case learned a missing person's report was filed, and that Boyd died, he went to the mother's home to notify the family.
“My sister could have went to the hospital. It doesn't change the outcome but it gives her comfort her daughter didn't die alone,” Groves said.
The family filed a complaint with the city’s inspector general about how the case was handled and are awaiting the findings.
Even if police did follow protocol, the family is calling for change.
“I am writing a letter to the mayor, the public safety director, city council and the chief of police. I want something done about it,” Groves said.