Chicago Hospital Held Newborn Baby for 8 Months Over an Unpaid Medical Bill

Debts were handled much differently in the 19th and early 20th century. Back then, people who accrued debt had more to fear than letters and calls from collection agencies the same way we do today, especially if they owed a hospital or doctor money.

One such case in 1932 proved hospitals would go to great lengths to collect debt.

Bessie Shopkus died the day after she delivered baby Elaine at Evangelical Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. Her husband, Stanley, had lost his job the week before the baby’s birth. He wanted to work, but acquiring jobs was difficult, if not impossible, at the time. It was The Great Depression, after all.

The hospital refused to release baby Elaine to Stanley unless he paid the debt in full. He owed the hospital $260, which in those days was a large sum of money.

Yes. A hospital really held a newborn baby as collateral. The company wanted its money...or else. Did it warrant such a drastic step? You be the judge.

So not only is Stanley mourning the loss of his beautiful wife, but he was also forced to leave his baby girl behind. I can only imagine how worthless and sad he felt inside. Three huge losses in the course of a week. It's enough to drive a man insane. Luckily, he did not lose his mind. He was angry and wanted his daughter in his arms and at home where she belonged.

Stanley tried working out payment plans and other arrangements with the hospital, but all offers were refused. They were heartset on keeping baby Elaine until he paid the money owed them.

Times were much different then. Parents were expected to care for their children, from schooling and housing costs to food and medical bills. The state could declare a parent who could not afford the expenses as “unfit” and remove the child from their care.

The hospital used this as an excuse to keep the baby.

Stanley did not settle for the hospital’s determination that he was ‘unfit’, thus giving them the right to hold baby Elaine. He filed a kidnapping complaint against the hospital. It took eight long months, but he finally won. The complaint got the attention of a judge who was none too happy that a hospital had held a baby from her father over medical costs.

Judge Joseph B. David scolded the hospital for their actions. The hospital released baby Elaine when the judge threatened to toss its workers in jail.

Elaine went on to live a full life. I can find limited information, so it seems the family remained private. She passed away in February 2025, at the age of 92. She was the mother of two children and the grandma of two.

Rest in peace, Elaine.

Sources:

https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-baby-held-for-hospital-b/147301704/?source=post_page-----19d014da6cab---------------------------------------

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patient_dumping?utm_source=chatgpt.com

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