Simone Lawson
In California, a coroner's case refers to a death investigation conducted by a coroner or medical examiner's office. The coroner's division has the responsibility to inquire into and determine the circumstances, manner, and cause of death for cases within its jurisdiction. These include suspected homicide, suicide, and accidental deaths, and natural deaths where there is no physician available to sign the death certificate. Additionally, the coroner may investigate other causes of death, such as sudden infant death syndrome, at their discretion. The coroner has the authority to take possession of the body, conduct autopsies, and retain relevant tissues for inquiry or verification of findings. The coroner's role is crucial in providing answers to the loved ones of the deceased and ensuring a thorough investigation into the cause and manner of death.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who can be a coroner? | A coroner must be a licensed physician and surgeon qualified as a specialist in pathology. |
| When is a coroner's case constituted? | When a person dies as a result of criminal means or other unnatural causes, or when there is no physician to sign a death certificate, or the physician is unwilling or legally prohibited from doing so. |
| What does a coroner do? | A coroner conducts a medicolegal investigation to determine the cause and manner of death. |
| What procedures does a coroner perform? | A coroner may perform an autopsy, postmortem examination, necropsy, or obduction. |
| What happens if a death occurs at the scene? | Deputy coroner investigators (DCI) are responsible for removing and transporting the decedent, obtaining information from family and friends, and working with law enforcement to understand the cause of death. |
| What happens if there is no next of kin? | The County of Los Angeles will cremate the remains and hold the ashes for about three years before interring them in a common gravesite. |
| What if the family objects to an autopsy on religious grounds? | California law allows the state to override religious objections if the coroner suspects the death was caused by a criminal act or a contagious disease. |
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What You'll Learn
Homicide, suicide, or accidental deaths
In California, a coroner or medical examiner investigates and reports on all violent, sudden, or unusual deaths. The state has five classifications of death: natural, accident, suicide, homicide, or undetermined. Homicide, suicide, or accidental deaths are, therefore, always a coroner's case in California.
Homicide
Homicide occurs when a death results from a volitional act committed by another person to cause fear, harm, or death. Intent to cause death is not required for a classification as homicide. A coroner will investigate and report on the death, and a medicolegal autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death, collect evidence, and reconstruct the circumstances and events that led to the death.
Suicide
Suicide results from an injury or poisoning as a result of an intentional, self-inflicted act committed to cause self-harm or death. A coroner will investigate and report on the death, and a medicolegal autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death, collect evidence, and reconstruct the circumstances and events that led to the death.
Accidental Death
Accidental death applies when an injury or poisoning causes death, and there is little or no evidence that the injury or poisoning occurred with the intent to harm or cause death. In other words, the fatal outcome was unintentional. A coroner will investigate and report on the death, and a medicolegal autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death, collect evidence, and reconstruct the circumstances and events that led to the death.
Autopsies
Autopsies are highly specialized surgical procedures that consist of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present. In California, autopsies are required in cases where an infant has died suddenly and unexpectedly, and the coroner has the discretion to conduct autopsies on any victim of sudden, unexpected, or unexplained death. Autopsies are usually performed by a specialized medical doctor called a pathologist, and they differ from hospital autopsies, which focus on confirming a known or suspected disease.
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Suspected SIDS
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a classification of death that falls under the "Accident" category in California. According to California law, accidents involve injury or poisoning that unintentionally leads to death. In the case of SIDS, the death of an infant is sudden and unexpected, and often attributed to unknown causes.
When a death is suspected to be due to SIDS, it falls under the jurisdiction of the coroner or medical examiner, who is responsible for investigating and reporting on sudden or unexplained deaths. The role of the coroner is to determine the circumstances, manner, and cause of death in such cases. This may involve reviewing medical records, interviewing family members or witnesses, and conducting a post-mortem examination or autopsy.
The autopsy procedure in suspected SIDS cases involves a detailed examination of the infant's body to identify any potential causes of death. This includes both external and internal inspections, as well as microscopic examinations of internal organs. Information such as the identification of the infant, time of death, evidence of drug use, and age of any injuries is carefully recorded and used to assist in determining the cause of death.
In California, the state may override religious objections to autopsy if there is a reasonable suspicion that the death was caused by a criminal act or a contagious disease posing a public health hazard. This is an important consideration in suspected SIDS cases, as the cause of death may have legal implications and impact any potential criminal investigations.
It is important to note that the procedures and requirements for coroner involvement in suspected SIDS cases may vary across different counties in California. Each county has its own Coroner's Bureau or Division that adheres to state laws while also following specific local protocols.
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No physician to sign the death certificate
In California, a coroner's or medical examiner's office conducts a medicolegal investigation to determine the cause of death. Coroners and medical examiners are elected by the people of the county. The medical examiner must be a licensed physician and surgeon, qualified as a specialist in pathology.
When there is no physician available to sign a death certificate, the case falls under the jurisdiction of the Medical Examiner-Coroner. The coroner will then determine the cause of death.
In California, the attending physician—the doctor in charge of the patient's medical care for the illness or condition that resulted in death—is responsible for signing the death certificate. However, there may be instances when the attending physician is unavailable or on vacation at the time of the patient's death. In such cases, the covering physician is responsible for signing the death certificate.
According to California law, nurse practitioners and physician assistants are not allowed to sign death certificates. Additionally, physicians may be reluctant to sign a death certificate if they were not in attendance at the time of death or if they had limited engagement with the patient. They may be concerned about their liability, especially if they are unsure of the patient's most recent health status or if the patient's condition had changed significantly since their last encounter.
It is important to note that the death certificate must be completed within 15 hours of being presented with the death record, and it should include the date, time, and cause of death.
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Religious objections
In California, a coroner must be notified when a person dies as a result of criminal or other unnatural causes. Certain natural deaths also fall under the coroner's jurisdiction if there is no physician available to sign a death certificate, or if the physician is unwilling or legally prohibited from doing so.
In California, a person aged 18 or older can execute a certificate of religious belief to object to an autopsy or other postmortem procedures on clear and unambiguous religious grounds. The certificate must be signed and dated by the individual in the presence of two witnesses, who must also sign and print their names and addresses.
However, California law allows the state to override religious objections if the coroner has a reasonable suspicion that the death was caused by a criminal act or a contagious disease posing a public health risk. In such cases, the coroner may petition the superior court for an order authorizing an autopsy or other procedures, or to invalidate the certificate.
The court may also order an autopsy despite a valid certificate if the cause of death is unclear and the public interest in determining the cause outweighs the religious convictions of the deceased.
It is important to note that only the decedent can execute a certificate of religious belief against an autopsy before their death. While family members may object to an autopsy on religious grounds, their objections may not always be honored, especially in cases where the deceased was a victim of a crime or an infant.
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Human remains
In California, human remains must be reported to the coroner or medical examiner in cases of suspected homicide, suicide, accidental death, or sudden infant death syndrome. The coroner is also notified when a person dies as a result of criminal means or other unnatural causes, or when there is no physician available to sign a death certificate.
When human bones are discovered, the Medical Examiner-Coroner will determine the necessary response and may dispatch a Special Operations Response team member to assess the scene. If the bones are still in the place of discovery, the Coroner may elect to respond and send a team to recover the remains. In some cases, the Coroner may request a photograph or for the bones to be brought to the Forensic Science Center.
Tissue that appears to be human should also be reported to the Medical Examiner-Coroner, who will determine if the tissue has forensic value, including whether it is human and whether the loss of tissue indicates death. If the tissue is still at the place of discovery, the Coroner may choose to respond.
In cases where the coroner does not conduct an autopsy, the next of kin may request a private autopsy, which they must pay for. If a family consents to a hospital autopsy and the findings indicate that the death is a coroner's case, the hospital pathologist must provide a report to the Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. Under the California Government Code, upon the request of the legal next of kin, the coroner shall perform an autopsy, but the requesting party must bear the costs.
The coroner has the authority to exhume a body, order its removal, and perform a post-mortem examination or autopsy, including an analysis of the body's stomach, stomach contents, blood, organs, fluids, or tissues. The coroner may retain tissues removed during the autopsy if necessary for the inquiry or verification of findings.
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Frequently asked questions
The coroner must perform an autopsy within 24 hours or as soon as feasible in any case where an infant has died suddenly and unexpectedly. If the attending physician suspects that the cause of death is sudden infant death syndrome, an autopsy may be performed at the coroner's discretion.
A coroner's case in California includes suspected homicide, suicide, accidental deaths, and natural deaths where there is no physician to sign the death certificate or the physician is legally prohibited from doing so. The coroner's office also investigates human bone and tissue discoveries.
A coroner in California conducts medicolegal investigations to determine the cause and manner of death. They have the authority to take possession of the body, including exhuming and relocating it, and conducting autopsies or ordering post-mortem examinations. Coroners work with law enforcement agencies to understand how individuals died and provide answers to their loved ones.
Yes, under the California Government Code, upon the request of the legal next of kin, the coroner shall perform an autopsy on a decedent. However, the coroner is entitled to recover the costs for the autopsy, which must be paid in advance.
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