Death Investigation
What is a death investigation?
A death investigation assists the coroner to understand how and why a person died. This information may help prevent other deaths in similar circumstances. A death investigation is sometimes referred to as a coroner’s case.
Coroners must answer 5 questions when they are investigating a death:
* Who was the person? (identification)
* When did they die? (the date of death)
* Where did they die?
* How did they die? (the medical cause of death)
* By what means did they die? (the category of death; this can be either natural causes, accident, homicide, suicide, or undetermined)
The coroner learns this information from many different sources including: family, neighbours, doctors, hospital records and police.
How are the police involved in a death investigation?
Police usually respond to all emergency calls and are often the first ones at the scene of a death.
The Coroners Act states that police may be called upon to help coroners conduct their investigations.
Why is a coroner called? What is a reportable death?
Coroners are called to investigate deaths that appear to be from non-natural causes. They also look into some natural deaths, such as those that happen suddenly and unexpectedly. Coroners may be involved when people have concerns about the care provided before death.
Coroners are also called for all deaths of people in custody, for many deaths in long-term care facilities, and if the death happens on a work site.
These types of deaths are also referred to as reportable deaths, because they must be reported to a coroner.
Who calls the coroner?
Anyone who thinks that a reportable death has happened must call a coroner right away. This usually means a health care professional or the police, but it can be any member of the public, including a family member.
How many deaths does the Coroner's Office investigate each year?
A. It varies from year to year but statistics show approximately 1100 deaths a year.
Q. Are Coroner's Investigators Police Officers?
A. No, investigators are Law Enforcement officers who conduct a concurrent investigation to determine the manner of death.
Q. How long does it take to receive a death certificate?
A. It takes between 2 to 4 weeks from the day the Coroner's Office mails
a __________. We can not send
supplemental reports until we receive all reports such as toxicology and
autopsy. The Coroner's Office has no control when these
reports are complete.
* When do coroners or medical examiners order autopsies?
* How to track down vital evidence?
* How to determine the range of fire of a shotgun?
* How to conduct a scene investigation?
* What's the difference between the cause and the manner of death?
* How do investigators identify a decomposed body?
* What parts of a death certificate need to be completed?
* How do you establish a time of death?