Losing Noah was devastating. But what came next—the silence, the army suicide cover-up, the delays, and the Army’s refusal to tell the truth—only deepened Meg and Yoni Samuel-Siegel’s grief.
In November 2021, Private First-Class Noah Samuel-Siegel died by suicide at age 19 while stationed at Camp Humphreys in South Korea. His parents, Meg and Yoni, were shattered by the loss of their son. But what followed added another layer of pain they never expected: conflicting stories, delayed investigations, missing records, and months of confusion.
Now, the Samuel-Siegel family is fighting back. Their lawsuit, filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), alleges that the Army’s conduct after Noah’s death caused them profound emotional harm. But the story begins long before the Army’s silence. It begins with a series of warnings, stressors, and failures that the Army chose not to see.
A Devastating Loss, and a Grief the Army Made Worse
When Noah died, his parents were thousands of miles away. There was no warning, no one by his side, and no opportunity for Meg and Yoni to say goodbye. The shock of losing him was immediate. The grief was immeasurable.
But what followed wasn’t compassion. It was silence. Days passed with few answers. Information came slowly, inconsistently, and without clarity. The Army did not provide comfort, coordination, or basic transparency in the moments that mattered most.
Instead of being supported through tragedy, Meg and Yoni were left to navigate a wall of confusion, grieving while begging for details no parent should ever have to ask for.
Remembering Noah: The Son Behind the Uniform
Noah Samuel-Siegel made the world brighter. He was one of those rare people who held both a childlike wonder and the wisdom of an old soul. He loved nature and philosophy, history and antiques. He was curious and thoughtful, but just as quick with a perfectly timed dad joke or a well-placed laugh at the dinner table. He was grounded, generous, and quietly confident, with a steady moral compass that showed in everything he did.
Noah had a way of noticing people who might otherwise go unseen. He welcomed the new kid at school. He checked in on friends who were struggling. He offered to tag along on errands so no one had to go alone. In the Army, he gave what little he had—sharing food, donating from his paycheck, and making sure new Soldiers in Korea felt like they had someone in their corner.
He believed deeply in doing the right thing, even when it was hard. That belief is what led him to enlist. He joined the Army not out of obligation, but out of conviction. He wanted purpose, camaraderie, and the chance to serve something greater than himself. He believed in helping people. He believed in honor.
As Noah’s parents, Meg and Yoni wrote:
“Noah led with compassion. He was a force of love—always looking out for others and making people feel truly seen.”
That’s who Noah was. That’s who the Army lost. And that’s who, and why, his family is still grieving.
The Samuel-Siegel Family’s Lawsuit for the Truth the Army Tried to Hide
The Samuel-Siegel family filed a lawsuit under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. The claim focuses on how the Army’s actions after Noah’s death, not during his service, caused lasting emotional harm.
Delays, Misinformation, and a Body Left Overseas
After Noah died, the Army delayed the return of his body. He remained in Korea for more than a week. Two flights to Hawaii for the autopsy were canceled without notifying the family. Each time, the Samuel-Siegels were told he was en route, only to discover he hadn’t left.
When Noah’s body finally arrived in New Jersey—two and a half weeks after his death—he was in a state of decomposition. His parents were not only grieving, they were traumatized. The son they had once hugged goodbye was now nearly unrecognizable.
The prolonged delay and lack of transparency only deepened the family’s suspicion that they were facing an army suicide cover-up rather than a respectful process.
That moment, which should have brought some measure of peace, brought new pain instead.
False Briefings and Withheld Records
The Army concluded its 15-6 investigation in April 2022. But Meg and Yoni weren’t offered an in-person briefing until September—nearly five months later, despite repeated requests for updates. When the briefing finally occurred, much of the information shared was incomplete, misleading, or directly contradicted by the Army’s own records.
According to the lawsuit, key facts were either misstated or entirely left out:
Noah’s alcohol use was downplayed. Officials claimed there were no concerns, even though his command had observed his drinking, alcohol was found in his room after his death, and his pre-separation medical evaluation had raised clear red flags.
His request for mental health support was misrepresented. The Army told the family it had only been discovered after his death. In reality, the request was already in his personnel file, confirmed by CID records, meaning leadership had access to it and failed to act.
Ongoing separation proceedings were omitted. The Army did not disclose that Noah’s command had begun to separate him for vaccine refusal, despite the fact that Department of Defense policy at the time did not authorize such separations.
Key documents were missing or redacted. Portions of Noah’s suicide risk form were blacked out. The Army excluded witness statements from the 15-6 report. It promised the family a follow-up—but never provided one.
What was presented as a formal briefing was, in reality, a partial narrative. The Army shared what it wanted the family to know and withheld what it didn’t.
Two Investigations, Two Stories
The Army’s 15-6 report directly contradicted earlier findings from the Criminal Investigation Division (CID). Officials omitted witness statements and redacted key documents. When the family asked for clarity, they were promised follow-up—but never received it.
These inconsistencies contributed to what the Samuel-Siegel family believes was an army suicide cover-up—a pattern of selective disclosures and withheld facts that avoided accountability and compounded their trauma.
According to the complaint, these failures caused more than confusion. They caused lasting trauma. Instead of closure, the Samuel-Siegel family was left with contradictions, silence, and grief that could have been eased—but wasn’t.
The Background They Tried to Bury: What Noah Endured Before His Death
The Army has framed Noah’s death as a tragedy that no one could have predicted. But the timeline tells another story—one of escalating stress, isolation, medical red flags, and pleas for help that were either dismissed or ignored. The conditions Noah endured in the weeks leading up to his death were shaped by command pressure, institutional neglect, and emotional abuse. These are the facts the Army tried to leave out.
Targeted for Vaccine Hesitancy and Publicly Humiliated
In September 2021, Noah expressed hesitation about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. His Squad and Platoon leaders shared similar views, but his Company Commander took a far harsher approach.
He berated Noah in a 40-minute closed-door counseling session, threatened him with a discharge that would follow him “like a sex offender’s record,” and told him not to speak about the meeting. Noah was visibly shaken and in tears. Other soldiers reported his distress, but leadership took no action.
Punished and Overworked Until the End
On October 14, Noah was punished for a months-old traffic infraction. Noah was demoted, lost pay, and was confined to base. He was then ordered to work from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily. Before that, leadership had already removed him from Military Police duties and assigned him to four separate 24-hour CQ shifts in less than two weeks.
That same day, against the advice of his Squad Leader, who warned he was not sleeping and under intense stress—Noah was transferred to Camp Humphreys, removing him from his support network entirely.
Cut Off and Alone at Camp Humphreys
At Camp Humphreys, Noah had no consistent roommate. Leadership rotated him between platoons, assigned extra duty, and restricted him to base—leaving him isolated and under prolonged stress. According to the complaint, he began drinking heavily and withdrawing socially. His Squad Leader had already warned that he was not sleeping and under significant pressure, but leadership took no meaningful steps to intervene.
Noah Asked for Help. The Army Didn’t Respond.
On October 18, Noah submitted a Behavioral Health Evaluation Request Form. It required a commander’s signature. Leadership never signed the form, and they never scheduled Noah for care.
The Army initially claimed the form was found in his room after his death. But CID records show it was in his unit personnel file—accessible to leadership who failed to act.
Medical Evaluation Days Before His Death Was Dismissed
On November 3rd 2021, Noah underwent a pre-separation screening. He reported emotional numbness, disconnection, insomnia, and loss of interest in activities. He also scored high on the AUDIT-C for alcohol misuse.
The Army’s failure to act on these documented red flags is one of many failures cited as part of a broader army suicide cover-up.
Despite the red flags, the Army labeled him “low risk” and sent him back to duty without any referral or follow-up.
No One Checked on Noah for Days
Noah was last seen on November 5th. He missed a food delivery the next day. He wasn’t found until November 8, during a routine inspection.
By then, he had been dead for more than 36 hours. Alcohol bottles were in his room. No one had checked on him, not despite the warning signs, but in full view of them.
The Federal Practice Group Stands With the Samuel-Siegel Family as the Fight for Justice Moves Forward
This case isn’t just about policy failure or bureaucratic delays. It shows what happens when a family is denied the truth about their child’s death—and when the institution responsible refuses to be accountable.
Meg and Yoni Samuel-Siegel have shown extraordinary courage in bringing this lawsuit forward. They aren’t just seeking answers about what happened after Noah died. They are demanding change, transparency, and justice—not just for their son, but for every military family who deserves the same.
The Federal Practice Group is honored to represent them in this fight, alongside co-counsel J. Peter Veloski of Saltz Mongeluzzi & Bendesky. Together, we are committed to holding the Army accountable, exposing the full truth, and making sure no other family is forced to walk this path alone.
Holding the Army Accountable Means Protecting Every Soldier—and Every Family
Noah’s story is personal. But it is also a call for institutional change.
When the Army withholds information, delays investigations, and misrepresents facts, it doesn’t just fail one family—it risks the trust of every family who sends a loved one to serve. The Samuel-Siegel family’s courage is not only about their son. It’s about preventing another army suicide cover-up and ensuring that no one else is left with unanswered questions, or an open wound that even time cannot heal.
As Meg and Yoni said:
“The Army wanted us to think that it should not have been expected to do anything differently. But that is clearly not the case. Noah deserved so much better—every Soldier does—and so do Gold Star Families. And our fear is that, if it could happen to Noah, it could happen to anyone. The Army has to do better and has to be held accountable.”