'Dead' mother is very much alive, family says

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (KTLA) - A Southern California family is dealing with the "death" of their 86-year-old mother — who is still very much alive, despite what the Social Security Administration (SSA) says.

Sarah Van Leuven, a Santa Monica resident, retired as a special education teacher with the Los Angeles Unified School District on April 1, 2016, the same date that SSA lists her as deceased.

It is unclear exactly how she was declared dead — computer glitch? human error? — but the mix up has been near-catastrophic for the stroke survivor, who has been purged from Medicare and health insurance systems. She also had her bank and credit cards canceled, and years' worth of her pension payments were pulled away overnight. • Sarah Van Leuven, 86, and son Jon Van Leuven, her primary caregiv