LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)- The Gracey Claire Rushing Act, also known as House Bill 1253, has been signed into Louisiana law by Governor Jeff Landry.
The new legislation, authored by State Representative Rhonda Butler, is the result of years of advocacy by Lafayette mother Krystal Romero, whose daughter, Gracey Claire Rushing, died unexpectedly in 2009 and was subsequently buried without her heart. The act aims to ensure greater care in the handling of organs from deceased loved ones and requires retained organs to be documented on autopsy reports.
Romero’s fight for answers began after she learned her daughter’s heart was missing following multiple autopsies. During a second autopsy process, she discovered the heart had later been found on a shelf at a nearby lab. The tragedy fueled Romero’s determination to pursue changes that would prevent other families from experiencing similar pain…