Death Is a Sloppy Business  By Michelle Delio
Story location: http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,59703,00.html

02:00 AM Jul. 22, 2003 PT

NEW YORK -- Martel Lewis knew her father was a special man, but she didn't
realize how unique he was until two months after his death.

When Ricard Lewis' death certificate arrived, his daughter noticed that the
83-year-old had been pregnant at the time of his demise.

Lewis evidently isn't the only Manhattan miracle male. Other family members
have reported receiving death certificates containing mistaken and just
plain oddball entries. Their complaints led to several audits of New York
City's Health Department and its Bureau of Vital records.

But New York isn't alone in its death documentation woes. Inaccurate death
certificates are a nationwide problem that has lead to an effort,
spearheaded by the Social Security Administration, to develop a nationwide
electronic death registry, or EDR, system.  ...


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