My mother died at work, can her employer keep her personal items from me? Posted on February 22, 2012

My mother had a massive heart attack at her job two days ago. It happened at the residence she cleans once a week. She was taken to the hospital via EMS then later pronounced dead at the hospital. The employer is not returning/giving her personal items to the next of kin, and holding on to my mother's purse, containing all her identification, and car keys. The employer is refusing the deceased one and only child age 24 her personal items. While the mother's body still remains at the hospital morgue. Is this legal that the employer holds on to the purse and car, and not return it to her only living relative her only daughter?