A Missouri woman continues her struggle to establish her existence after being mistakenly pronounced dead over 15 years ago.
During her college years, Madeline-Michelle Carthen had looked forward to participating in Webster University’s international internship exchange program. However, her plans were derailed as she couldn’t attend the program nor graduate after being denied financial aid due to her Social Security number being marked as deceased.
“I’m here for the long haul. I just want this over with,” Carthen says. “This is not right. I could’ve had my PhD by now. I could have been teaching academia right now.”
Carthen, who changed her last name, has tirelessly waged a battle for redress. She has reached out to local and state authorities and government agencies and even contacted all four presidents who have held office during the 16-year period in her quest for resolution. She claims that she received a response from just one administration, which was during former President Donald Trump’s tenure. But despite this communication, there were no changes in her situation.
“I’m in Missouri, but I’m back and forth [between here and Tennessee],” she says. “I had to give up my home. I don’t have a place to stay. I can’t get a mortgage.”
Additionally, Carthen’s son, Kenneth, has also faced repercussions from this situation. Carthen explains that he has encountered difficulties in pursuing his college education, as she cannot sign his Federal Student Aid application due to her lack of a valid Social Security number.
According to the Social Security Administration, an individual who’s classified as deceased has to visit their local SSA office with an alternative form of identification. Once verified, the agency will provide a letter confirming the error in the death listing. The letter can be presented to banks, doctors, and other relevant parties to rectify the mistake.
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