I have worked as a Coroner Investigatior in southern California for many years and have the knowledge to answer your questions in regards to death investigations.
- Why is the Coroner involved in a death?
The Coroner is involved because the death is a natural cause and was unattended by a physician. Even if a physcian is present and he does not know why the death occurred this would be a coroner case. A Coroner or a physician with the consent of the coroner can sign the death certificate with a natural cause of death.
The Coroner Division is an investigative unit responsible for carrying out the statutory duties of the Coroner. Those duties include investigation into the circumstances surrounding all deaths falling within the Coroner's jurisdiction for the purpose of determining the cause, manner and time of death. Medicolegal death investigations are conducted county-wide on all homicides, suicides, accidents, suspicious and unexplained deaths. Other duties include establishing the identity of the decedent, notification of the next of kin, safeguarding personal property and completion of mandatory records.
A physician and surgeon, physician assistant, funeral director, or other person shall immediately notify the coroner when he or she has knowledge of a death that occurred or has charge of a body in which death occurred under any of the following circumstances…
1. Without medical attendance, which includes all deaths outside of hospitals or skilled nursing facilities.
2. Wherein the deceased had not been attended by a physician in the 20 days prior to death.
3. The attending physician is unable to render a reasonable opinion as to the cause of death.
4. When homicide is known or suspected.
5. When suicide is known or suspected.
6. When a criminal action is involved or suspected to be involved in the death.
7. Related to, or following known or suspected self-induced or criminal abortion.
8. Associated with a known or alleged rape or crime against nature.
9. Known or suspected as resulting in whole or in part from an accident or injury, either old or recent.
10. When aspiration, starvation, exposure, drug addiction or acute alcoholism is the known or suspected cause.
11. When poisoning is known or suspected.
12. When occupational disease or hazards are the known or suspected cause.
13. When a contagious disease is the known or suspected cause.
14. When death occurred while in-custody of a law enforcement agency or while in prison.
15. All deaths of State Hospital patients.
16. All Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) deaths.
17. Deaths during or related to surgery or surgical procedures, or following a surgery or surgical procedure if the deceased did not awake from the anesthetic.
This is me conducting a coroner scene investigation.
This is me center of picture loading bodies found under a tree in the desert
found by Border Patrol helicopter.
Temperatures were extreme at about 118 degrees. (Newsweek photo)
If you have a questions e-mail me at : coronerquestions@yahoo.com