Rochester dad suing city after being mistakenly told his missing daughter was dead
A Rochester father, Mark Crews, is proceeding with his lawsuit against the city, the Rochester Police Department, Monroe County, and the county medical examiner, after the New York State Supreme Court gave him permission to do so.
This legal action stems from the distressing error in which authorities mistakenly informed Crews that his missing daughter, Shanice Crews, was dead. After the Rochester police reported finding her body in a wooded area near Hudson Avenue, Crews cremated the remains and held a memorial service, according to News10NBC.
Months later, he was shocked to discover that Shanice was alive and living in Detroit.
In a May 2025 interview with News10NBC, Crews said, “I think they rushed to close a missing person case, I truly believe that.”
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He explained the painful emotional toll. “Not never thinking this would happen because if this didn’t happen, I was going to just learn how to live without my daughter thinking she deceased. It’s just devastating, man, I wouldn’t wish this on nobody.”
For three years, Crews searched for his daughter, Shanice, who vanished in 2021 after dropping off her two children with the family in Rochester. His search included hiring a private investigator who traced Shanice to Detroit and speculated that she may have joined a religious cult.
In April 2024, a Rochester police officer informed the family that Shanice’s body had been discovered on Hudson Avenue in the City of Rochester. The officer also stated that a forensic dentist had used dental records to identify the body as Shanice. However, months later, the family saw a Facebook photo, dated November 2024, showing Shanice volunteering in Detroit.
The initial dental record identification was later questioned, as the county investigated whether Shanice’s identity or insurance information had been improperly used for dental work. The error was only confirmed after one of Shanice’s children provided a DNA sample, revealing the mix-up.
According to advocates, it is a common practice for individuals experiencing homelessness or those who have been trafficked to share insurance details to access necessary medical treatment.
Early this month, the New York State Supreme Court allowed Crews’ lawsuit to proceed, which seeks compensation for funeral expenses and emotional distress. Despite missing the initial legal deadline to file a claim, the court granted his request to move the case forward, reasoning that the defendants suffered no harm from the delay.
Joseph Belluck, the attorney representing the Crews family, said, “We’re not suggesting that this was malicious or that they were doing this on purpose but they have a duty to act in a way that is not negligent and that did not happen here. This is such a compelling case, a clear case of negligence that to not allow the family to pursue it, would not be in the interest of justice so, we’re very pleased with the ruling, it is precedent setting.”
Meanwhile, following the incident, County Executive Adam Bello informed News10NBC that the county has implemented a revised DNA policy. This new policy mandates that a DNA test be conducted after the initial dental test.
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