A Bradenton widow is calling for changes in the way Manatee County responds in cases where people die of natural causes in public, after her husband's body was left on a hot road for three hours.

Ty Ross, 78, died of a heart attack in February 2018

County told his wife removing body was her responsibility

Case is prompting change in Manatee EMS policy

Julie Ross's husband, 78-year-old Ty Ross, died of a heart attack in Feb. 26, 2018. He collapsed outside a Bradenton park, and a resident who lives near the park saw him and called 911.

By the time Julie arrived at the scene, her husband had been dead for 90 minutes. She was told by Manatee EMS personnel that removing his body, which was partially in the road, was her problem.

She said she called a funeral home, but they were busy and unable to transport the body right away.

"Then we waited and we waited," Julie told us. "The EMS had been there and left, but they had not taken their stuff. He still had a tube running down his throat."

Julie Ross demonstrates the position of her husband's body, partially in the roadway outside of a Bradenton park where he died on Feb. 26, 2018. (Josh Rojas, staff)

Julie recalls it was a hot day, and a neighbor brought her an umbrella to help shade her husband's body from the sun.

"I mean I was worried. It was hot and he had been laying out there," Julie explained. "I don't know what's going to happen to him, and so I held the umbrella over his body, and then the guy came out and brought me a chair, so I was able to sit there."

Finally, according to Julie, the funeral home was able to come out with a van to transport Ty's body. In total, Julie said the body was out there for three hours.

Manatee County EMS said they do not have a policy that differentiates death in public or private locations. As a result of this case, however, that will change.

"It has been determined that a need for policy improvement pertaining to the death of persons in public locations ... Both EMS and MSO have agreed to come up with a solution that improves public perception and provides the respect owed to deceased victims in Manatee County," said County Administrator Ed Hunzeker in a memorandum to county director of public safety Robert L. Smith.

Julie expressed hope that no other family would have to experience the nightmare she went through.

"It was just so disrespectful just to leave him in the street," she said. "He did not deserve that."