A Melbourne woman says she is devastated after police initially declared her dead following a hospital identity error. According to multiple reports, the incident occurs when hospital staff mix up the medical information of two people. As a result, a dead woman is identified incorrectly, and the wrong person’s details are used—information that includes personal documents and medical records. Police then notify the woman’s friends and family with condolences intended for the deceased person, but the notifications relate to the living woman. ABC and other outlets report that the hospital involved apologises for the data mix-up, describing it as an error in the handling of medical records and identities. The woman’s family and friends later learn the mistake after the correct identity is established. The reports emphasise that the misidentification stems from the hospital’s mixing of medical data rather than any intentional action. The case highlights the consequences of identity and record errors, including wrongful death notifications to people close to the affected individual.