JUSTICE FOR ETHAN: THREE YEARS OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS AND A FEDERAL LAWSUIT
The Issue
My son, Ethan Bennett, was only 19 years old when he lost his life in a motorcycle collision in Inkster, Michigan, on July 28, 2023. More than three years later, I am still fighting for answers, transparency, and accountability.
What happened after Ethan's death is something no mother should ever have to experience. Portions of my son's human remains were left behind following the crash and were subsequently discovered in trash. My family was forced to confront the devastating reality that Ethan's remains had not been fully recovered and respectfully handled. I had no clue i ONLY RECEIVED LESS THAN HALF OF HIS HEEAD until July 2026 the reality sunk in on the news interview.
On July 23, 2026, I filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Federal Case No. 2:26-cv-12531-TGB-APP
Ostrowski v. Wayne County, et al.
Presiding Judge: Hon. Terrence G. Berg
The lawsuit, brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, concerns the alleged mishandling of Ethan's human remains and the constitutional violations asserted in connection with those events. These allegations are now before a federal court; liability has not yet been determined.
But the questions do not end with the handling of Ethan's remains.
For more than three years, I have sought records and answers concerning the investigation conducted by the Inkster Police Department, including 911 communications, body-camera and dash-camera footage, surveillance video, investigative reports, and other critical evidence.
My family obtained surveillance footage showing the collision. Inkster Police later obtained its own copy, yet I learned that Michigan State Police had not received that video from Inkster during its review. In May 2025, I personally delivered the video to MSP. The video was also absent from the Wayne County Prosecutor's investigative file produced to me.
These circumstances raise serious questions about evidence handling, investigative completeness, and transparency. They deserve an independent examination—not assumptions, excuses, or continued silence.
I am calling on Michigan's elected officials and appropriate law enforcement authorities to formally request that the Michigan State Police conduct or coordinate a complete, independent review of Ethan Bennett's death investigation and the handling of his remains.
This fight is bigger than one family. Every parent deserves to know that when their child dies, the investigation will be thorough, the evidence will be properly handled, and their loved one's remains will be treated with dignity.
If this happened to your child, would three years of unanswered questions be acceptable?
I am not asking anyone to prejudge guilt. I am asking for the truth, an independent review of the evidence, and accountability wherever the facts establish responsibility.
Please sign and share this petition. Help us demand independent oversight, transparency, and justice for Ethan Bennett.
Ethan was a human being. He was my son. He deserved dignity in death, and he deserves justice.
— Jessica Ostrowski, Ethan's Mom
806
The Issue
My son, Ethan Bennett, was only 19 years old when he lost his life in a motorcycle collision in Inkster, Michigan, on July 28, 2023. More than three years later, I am still fighting for answers, transparency, and accountability.
What happened after Ethan's death is something no mother should ever have to experience. Portions of my son's human remains were left behind following the crash and were subsequently discovered in trash. My family was forced to confront the devastating reality that Ethan's remains had not been fully recovered and respectfully handled. I had no clue i ONLY RECEIVED LESS THAN HALF OF HIS HEEAD until July 2026 the reality sunk in on the news interview.
On July 23, 2026, I filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Federal Case No. 2:26-cv-12531-TGB-APP
Ostrowski v. Wayne County, et al.
Presiding Judge: Hon. Terrence G. Berg
The lawsuit, brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, concerns the alleged mishandling of Ethan's human remains and the constitutional violations asserted in connection with those events. These allegations are now before a federal court; liability has not yet been determined.
But the questions do not end with the handling of Ethan's remains.
For more than three years, I have sought records and answers concerning the investigation conducted by the Inkster Police Department, including 911 communications, body-camera and dash-camera footage, surveillance video, investigative reports, and other critical evidence.
My family obtained surveillance footage showing the collision. Inkster Police later obtained its own copy, yet I learned that Michigan State Police had not received that video from Inkster during its review. In May 2025, I personally delivered the video to MSP. The video was also absent from the Wayne County Prosecutor's investigative file produced to me.
These circumstances raise serious questions about evidence handling, investigative completeness, and transparency. They deserve an independent examination—not assumptions, excuses, or continued silence.
I am calling on Michigan's elected officials and appropriate law enforcement authorities to formally request that the Michigan State Police conduct or coordinate a complete, independent review of Ethan Bennett's death investigation and the handling of his remains.
This fight is bigger than one family. Every parent deserves to know that when their child dies, the investigation will be thorough, the evidence will be properly handled, and their loved one's remains will be treated with dignity.
If this happened to your child, would three years of unanswered questions be acceptable?
I am not asking anyone to prejudge guilt. I am asking for the truth, an independent review of the evidence, and accountability wherever the facts establish responsibility.
Please sign and share this petition. Help us demand independent oversight, transparency, and justice for Ethan Bennett.
Ethan was a human being. He was my son. He deserved dignity in death, and he deserves justice.
— Jessica Ostrowski, Ethan's Mom
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Petition created on March 28, 2025