Q&A Part 7

There was a road traffic accident, where the passenger was killed but the driver survived. At the Coroner’s Inquest, the blood test of the fatality was revealed but the drivers was not. What are the reasons that the drivers blood test would Not be revealed? 

This happened because the driver is not dead.  An inquest is to determine the manner and cause of death of the decedent.  Nothing else.  It is not a trial.  If the driver was intoxicated, he/she could be charged with reckless homicide – which would be determined at trial – and the driver’s blood alcohol content would be revealed.

 

I am wondering if you can answer a question for me. If a person was in medical distress for fifteen minutes from a ligature, would they still be alive? How long before oxygen levels fall below normal range?

The circumstances here are WAY too vague for me to answer.  What I can answer is that with full blockage of the carotid artery and jugular vein, unconsciousness can happen in as little as 7 seconds.  It only takes 4 pounds of pressure to completely occlude the jugular vein and 11 pounds of pressure to occlude the carotid artery – so, not much at all.

 

I just lost my niece they did an autopsy and cut her arms why would they do that. We still have a long time until we get the report back. Can you help answer this question for our family?

Sorry to answer your question with more questions, but I would like to help if I am able.

1) What is your niece’s age?  Babies and children often have their arms opened looking for signs of abuse.

2) What were the circumstances surrounding her death?  A car accident for instance may result in injuries in the arm which would be explored and noted.

3) Are you sure they were cut at the autopsy?  The family may have consented for tissue donation in which case the long bones of the arms would be removed.

 

Someone I know committed suicide by gunshot while in a car. A year later they found his body. His family wanted to hold a private viewing and funeral for him. My question is, does the coroner collect the body? How does one transport the body of the deceased? I’m guessing it would be a closed casket funeral.

So, my answers will be generalized for how it would occur in my jurisdiction.  I’m not sure where you are located which means the approach may be different.  

In my jurisdiction, the body would be transported to the coroner’s office and then released to a funeral home of the family’s choosing after the investigation was completed.  The funeral home would work with the family to determine the type of services that would be appropriate.  Most likely, not an open casket.
 
 
My boyfriend recently died and following an autopsy no cause of death can be found. However we have been allowed to go ahead with the funeral, but we have now been told we cannot see the body. Due to him apparently developing an infection after death. What does this mean? Have they not been looking after him correctly?
 
Unfortunately, I get several questions from the UK and I can’t answer them very intelligently.  The process there is much different and I am afraid I don’t understand it.  So many of the practices that I get questioned about are not practices that would happen here.  One doesn’t develop an infection after death, that just doesn’t happen.  He may have not been stored properly and decomposed some which would cause the body to not be viewed.  I’m not sure – I’m simply guessing.  I’m sorry I can’t answer you better.
 
 
How do they transport a bloated corpse? Do they have a way to deflate it before transport? Or do they transport it as it is?

A bloated body is ideally wrapped in a sheet and placed in a body bag and transported like normal.  There is no ‘deflating’ of the body….sometimes gasses will escape when we make an incision at the autopsy, but that wouldn’t happen at the scene.

 

I’m a firefighter of10 years. Recently we were involved in extracting the body from a car that had hit a semi truck head on. There was severe trauma to the head and torso, deformation of the face and lower abdomen was cut almost in half. (I’ll leave the rest up to imagination.) However, there was no blood present. I’ve seen more from a small cut out of the many accidents we respond to. I found this odd. Can you help explain the lack of blood present? 

My initial thought is that the person died first.  Maybe a cardiac episode which caused the person to lose control of the vehicle? 

 

My bother friend was found dead. He was not heard from or seen the night before. When found him, he had foam cone, but looks like he didn’t suffer. He was 38 years old. He had sleep apnea and high cholesterol. Autopsy came back unfounded.. what do you think the reason was?

Opiate intoxication is what I believe given the brief information provided.  Autopsy would be unfounded.  Toxicology would provide all the answers.

 

Hello! If a death certificate says cause of death is ‘ligature strangulation’, is this suicide?

Not necessarily.  The death certificate should also indicate the manner as suicide or accident or homicide.

 

My son died unexpectedly and was not found for approximately 5 days. He was on several medications for anxiety and insomnia. Latuda 80mg/day, Lamictal 150mg/day, trazadone 300mg/day, ambien 10mg/day. He also took otc Benadryl. His cause of death was multiple drug toxicity however the lab report shows normal levels and some alcohol but coroner said alcohol was not a contributing factor. No other drugs were positive.
I don’t know what to think. Report says he had blisters and skin sloughing. I assume this is part of decomposing but my personal doctor suggested possible Steven Johnson syndrome. Lamictal was not a new drug but caused the most side affects: Tremors, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, insomnia. He tried seroquel years ago with a different physician and it gave him a bad rash from head to feet.

I’m sorry about your son.  Are you sure the lab report shows normal levels?  Lab reports are usually in ng/mL which is not a direct comparison to what you would expect when looking at the levels.  Ask for a copy of the toxicology report and contact the toxicologist who read the report…they can explain the levels and how the interaction of the medications at those levels resulted in what the pathologist determined to be multi-drug toxicity.

 

If an autopsy said a 38 year old female, with no presentation of symptoms died of hemorrhagic enteritis of the small bowel, would she also have unequal pressures in her eyes, and frothy blood in her lungs?

My answer is simply that unequal pressure in the eyes and frothy blood in the lungs could all be post mortem results of positioning.  So, if she was found face down or on her side, one eye may be larger and more swelled than the other.  We often see frothy blood that expels from the lungs in a sudden death. Those things aren’t unusual.

 

Just lost a 10 month old nephew unexpectedly. He was happy and healthy. Mom has told different stories as well. His autopsy was performed today and apparently we won’t know anything for 2 months. They are also sending the baby’s brain for further investigation. So does that mean SIDS is ruled out?


SIDS is a diagnosis of exclusion – and very rarely used.  It sounds as if they are being very thorough in trying to determine your nephew’s cause of death.  I’m sorry for your family’s loss.  Let the process take place though – the results will be worth knowing.  Be prepared though for an unexpected result….’unsafe sleep practices’ or something depending on the situation.  You weren’t able to give the exact circumstances of the death, so I’m just giving an example.

 

My granddaughter was stillborn at 31.6 weeks and I just received the final report of her autopsy, cause of death says Pericardial, peritoneal and bilateral pleural effusion may play a role in this fetal demise. What does that mean? How did she die? What caused it? 

It simply is a build up of fluid in the heart, lungs and abdominal cavity.  It is suggesting that the body may have not been working to process fluids appropriately and may have contributed to the fetal demise.  I’m so sorry – such a sad situation.

 

How long does DNA in sperm remain on clothing? Can DNA be extracted from a sperm stained pant?

So much depends on the condition of the sample.  Have the pants been washed/dried?  Have they been kept in a bag or something where the sample would be ideally preserved? If DNA is on the pants, it can be found in most circumstances.

 

My step father hung himself by using an extension cable to dangle from the kitchen door. We were told by the coroner that we were not able to see the body as it was ‘unviewable’. But my mother said when she found him dead, and took the cable from around his neck, he was ok looking, just had blood coming from his nose and was cold. Any info on this would be great as we don’t really know why.

Honestly, I’m not sure and the only thing I can think of is that some people aren’t comfortable with preparing a body for a viewing.  I always explain to families that we are not a funeral home and we are limited in what we can do to prepare the body.  I also explain what they will see (tongue may be protruding, face swollen, visible injuries, etc.)  Although, I can’t say for sure, I’m inclined to think the coroner was simply not comfortable with it.  I’m sorry.

 

First off, I’ve had a question that would be best answered by a real coroner and was wondering how I would go about doing that. Then I thought well maybe I can look up ‘ask a coroner’ in google because INTERNET!! Lo and behold! So in a story I’m writing my main character investigates the death of two people, both killed by drowning but here is the kicker, water was forced down their throats by magic. My question is this, after less than a day, what would a body look like that had been drowned but not submerged in a body of water?

It depends on the surroundings.  Is the body in a warm, dry place?  The body will be somewhat mummified.  Is the body in a warm, damp place?  The body will show early signs of decomposition.  Is the body in a cool, dry place?  The body will be fairly well preserved.  Is the body in a cool, damp place?  The body will show early signs of decomposition, but not as advanced as in a warm, damp location.  And so on, and so forth…

 

My father passed away 2 weeks ago. He had been battling cancer for five year. A few days before he died he was put on hospice care, therefore when he died they did not perform an autopsy. I was very curious about his time of death. I found him dead at 6am, his body was white and his body was cold except for his legs, they were warm. About time would he have died?

Body temperature is a poor way of noting time of death.  The better way to get a window of time is best determined by the amount of rigor mortis the body has.  If he had no rigor mortis, he probably died within the past 4 hours.  If he had slight rigor – maybe more like 6-8 hours, and strong rigor mortis – more like 10-12 hours. 

 

How long after a patient dies does it take for the patient’s skin to appear grey in color and have a perceptible change of coolness to the touch?

It depends on the cause of death and the age of the person.  An elderly person with a poor vascular system may have grey skin changes and coolness to the touch before death actually occurs…so right away.  A younger person who dies, or a person without a cancer or vascular/cardiac disease may not show skin discoloration for quite some time.  Cooling of the body (algor mortis) is dependent on the surrounding temperature, the person’s body size, the person’s place (in a bed, on a floor, covered, uncovered, clothed, unclothed, etc.)  There are way too many variables to give you a simple answer to your question.

 

My 65 year old brother died at home suddenly with no previous hx of CAD. He lived alone, and was found 3 days following event. The medical examiner determined without autopsy that the cause of death was ‘heart attack’. Please describe the apparent classic observable signs of sudden cardiac death. I am confident in the ME’s conclusion, but would like clarification about the presentation that led to this conclusion.

Generally, a sudden death is from cardiac disease or stroke.  A sudden stroke can often be ruled out by simply noticing the pupils as being one much larger and one much more constricted.  Several things go into determining a probably cardiac related death:  the person’s size, the person’s health habits (poor nutrition, poor self-care, poor dental care), the person’s drinking history (social drinker, beer-every-night drinker, etc.), the person’s location:  on the toilet or recently used the toilet is common as the pressures of heart failure are often mistaken for needing to use the bathroom, recent physical activity – especially in hot/cold weather – raking, shoveling, lawn care, etc., recent complaints of flu or flu-like symptoms… there are many, many things we look at.  But, a sudden death in someone of his age, without any other concern, is most likely a cardiac related death and it is an appropriate diagnosis.

 

My grandmother recently died and when the coroner showed up they asked for her wallet and to tow her vehicle to them at my expense. Why would they ask for these things?

We sometimes ask for the wallet for identifying information or to look for medical information.  We usually don’t take possession of it unless it is necessary.  We would never have a vehicle towed to our location – and if we did, it would certainly not be at the family’s expense. You should have the option to decline requests like that.

Q&A Part 6

Questions continue in and answers continue out:

A family member of mine was identified by his tattoos over the phone by a coroner. Would we still be allowed to go to the coroner’s office to officially identify him and make sure it’s him?

I am not sure. I allow family viewings in our office, however, we are a smaller jurisdiction.  Some larger jurisdictions simply can’t accommodate that sort of thing and would ask you to have all viewings at the funeral home.  You can ask that the funeral home provide you with an opportunity for a quick family viewing – even without a regular public viewing.

 

My brother died a few months ago of what I think was suspicious accident. I have received the death certificate, but no coroners report. Why would this be?

Did you ask for a coroner’s report?  Also, depending on the jurisdiction, you may have to pay for a copy of the report.  Contact the coroner’s office and ask to review the file.

 

My husband passed away at home and when the coroner came I explained I was his spouse. My mother-in-law called me and told me that “unless I was willing to take financial responsibility for his burial, I need to call the coroner to tell them that I lied about being his wife.” I listened to her. It broke my heart to lie about not being his wife and I am feeling kind of helpless. Please help me to understand why I should have lied and what is going on?

If you are indeed his wife, you should be listed as such on the death certificate.  You also need to make sure you have certified copies of death certificates because any minor children are able to receive social security benefits.  Call the coroner, tell them your MIL told you to lie about being married and make sure your rights/properties are protected.  I’m not sure what the family dynamics have been that have led up to this – but, you do need to make sure you and your childrens’ assets are protected.  Life insurance and social security benefits and all of those things will matter.  If you are in fact married – make sure you are on the death certificate as his wife…even if that means accepting financial burden for his disposition expenses.

 

Why would a medical examiner keep the leg bones of the deceased person? The state is Florida.

Without knowing more facts, I can only guess.  There is a lot of DNA to possibly take out of the long bones of the legs.  It might be for future studies.  It might be for research.  I honestly don’t know.

 

I’ve been highly interested in becoming a Coroner and was wondering what I need to do to start that career? I am currently a freshman in college studying behavioral neuroscience. What should I change my degree to? I’ve done research on becoming a coroner but would like to know from someone who has already been down the road to help me with making a beneficial decision.
 

You can stay with behavioral neuroscience. I would assume there is a lot of biology to that – plus, understanding behavior is something beneficial to this career.  As a coroner, you only need to get elected.  I would say to try to get involved in your local politics – join various campaigns and whatnot – learn how the ins/outs work, meet people in your local political arena and start building those relationships.  That being said –  your college major seems good to me.

 

As a side note, you should really consider by-passing being a coroner and go straight to being a forensic pathologist.  There is a shortage and as forensic pathologists retire – the shortage is becoming greater.  The future really is in forensic pathology.

 

If some one collapsed in the bath and drowned, CPR is performed but no response, and the person dies. At autopsy, would coroner’s check for carbon monoxide? Would you know if carbon monoxide was the cause of the collapse due to CPR for 2 hours?

 

CO is a separate and specific test and we would most likely not test for it in this circumstance.  However, if the body had cherry-red lividity, an indicator of CO poisoning, we would test for it.  If, while at the scene, something made us suspect CO, we would have the fire department come out and do a particle test to record CO levels.  CPR would not impact the CO level in the blood if CO was present and the cause.

 

A post mortem tissue sample of a two month old baby showed a trace of methamphetamine. Could that trace have been from ingestion during pregnancy?
No.

 

Now, was the child breastfed?  Methamphetamine might be on a tox screen in a two-month old who was breastfed

 

Hi, if a person drowns in a vat of motor oil, what happens to the body? How quickly does it decompose? Faster or slower than drowning in water? Would a body drowned in motor oil float to the surface? 
 

If a person drowns in motor oil – what happens to the body?  The person dies from oil being introduced into the respiratory and circulatory systems.
How quickly does it decompose?  It would vary on the size of the body, the temperature of the oil, etc.  In room temperature – I would think decomposition would be slowed.  Probably slower than water, but I don’t know.
Would a body drowned in oil float to the surface?  It might after decomposition caused enough gases to build up in the body.  And it would probably be affected by the viscosity of the oil….5W40 vs 10W40 and so on and so forth…

 

Author here, currently writing and I was wondering if labs would be able to pull a positive test for coke from a dead body that had been out in the open for about a week? Would that result also be influenced by how long that person had been using, say fairly regularly for about 6 months?

 

Coke (assuming you are referencing cocaine) would be detectable in toxicology.  Depending on the nature of the body – the levels may have to come from the liver or brain if the body is decomposed.  We couldn’t tell 6 months of cocaine – but, if there are high levels of benzoylecgonine in the urine – it is usually a strong indictor of chronic use.

 

If someone were to be diagnosed as terminal with liver disease, would there be obvious, unmistakable evidence of that during the autopsy once they passed? What in particular would verify or confirm that a person had liver disease during an autopsy?

 

Absolutely.  The diseased liver is generally yellow in color if it is diseased.  It may be smaller or bigger – depending on the disease.  It may be ‘slippery’ which means it is very fatty.  It may have nodules/bumps on it.  The liver is very easy to recognize disease in.
Does skin on hands and or feet prune or wrinkle if exposed to water after death?
Yes.

 

My friends MIL passed away in her sleep after a lengthy illness (COPD). Since she died alone, they automatically took her body to the coroner’s office. I believe they were waiting for her medical records to see if she needed an autopsy or not. My friends MIL didn’t have any money (and neither do her children) for any kind of burial etc. They are under the impression that the coroner’s office will automatically cremate her body and only charge a small fee when they pick up the remains ($50 or so). Is this common practice?

 

No.  Nothing of this seems like common practice.  That being said, everywhere is different.  I am guessing they will not do an autopsy for someone with a documented history of COPD.  The body will then be released to a funeral home or cremation service that the family chooses.  This is all separate from the coroner’s office.  The coroner can authorize a cremation and often charges a fee to do so (for us it is $50, but this fee varies); however, there is no system where the coroner will directly cremate a decedent.

 

I had my toenails cliped to be tested for poison at a lab. Well they called and said UPS said they had an outage. And my toenails made it to lab but was never taken off the truck. I had them to return my toenails to me.  They are still in the package and taped. They said they were not sure if they would be good due to they where in a high degree heat in UPS truck for a week. That was in  june of 2015. I believe this was deliberate. I still have them unopen. I believe  2010 – 2013 my food and water was being tamper with. Can the toenails still be tested today. And how accurate would result be?
 

I am sitting here asking myself so many questions. What is going on?  Is this real life?  Why, if you believe you were being poisoned in 2010-2013 did you wait until 2015 to send your toenails to a lab?  And if they were returned to you, why would you hold on to them for almost 3 years?  This is a question only the lab you are working with can answer.

 

Does blood from a cut look different than blood from a hemorrhage under a microscope. I am researching a missing person case. Blood was found in the home. When they looked it they said it was from a natural hemorrhage. I was wondering what the difference is. 

 

I am struggling to understand your question completely – the blood from a cut would be a hemorrhage. Also, the only ‘natural hemorrhage’ I can think of is menses (period) blood…. in which case, yes, they could tell that difference.  There is no other circumstance of ‘naturally hemorrhaging’ that I can even think of that would produce blood outside the body without concern.  I hope this helps.

 
 

We have a pile of questions from the last few weeks that we are working on now. If it has been a while since you have submitted a question, and haven’t received a reply, send an email to askacoroner@gmail.com. Thanks for your interest and patience! 

Talking about Donation

Our Coroner, Jacquie, is passionate about many things, and donation is definitely high priority on her list. She (and our awesome book) was recently featured by the Gift of Hope in their Forensic Connection publication. Check out the article below.

If you would like to learn more about organ and tissue donation, or read more of these newsletters, please head over to Gift of Hope’s website.

Q&A Part 5 1

Questions continue to pour in, and we love having them to keep us busy! Thanks to all who submit, and a special thanks to our coroner who dutifully answers each and every one of them. If you have any questions of your own, feel free to submit them on the site, or send an email to askacoroner@gmail.com.

Now, on to the next round of questions and answers:

This is probably an odd question, but my niece passed away recently.Hher mother is a drug addict the baby was a drug baby. I am having a hard time believing she died from SIDS. When she was found, she was cold, blue and had a mark on her face. I’ve heard SIDS babies don’t turn blue. Is this true? Do you think my niece died from SIDS?

Was the baby bed sharing with her addict mother at the time of her passing?  This is most likely an accidental asphyxiation due to rollover by high/addicted mother. I doubt it was SIDS – but, that may be what mom tells people to avoid the issues associated. Without knowing more, I really can’t say for certain.

 

How often do you find a parasite in someone’s stomach?

I’ve never found a parasite in someone’s stomach.  However, I don’t live in the areas where it might be more common.

 

Can a primary cause of death be listed as “Influenza” only?

If the primary cause of death is Influenza, then it is most appropriate, yes.

 

At anytime would an Autopsy be performed from the back?

Yes. There is sometimes dissection done on the back and spine – especially in child abuse situations.

 

My brothers tox screen showed a level of tramadol of 5,660 ng and the “therapeutic range” is 200-700. The coroner ruled it ‘suspect’ and left the death manner as “undetermined”. Could they have determined it a suicide or accidental? Where do we go from here? We don’t know how to determine if he had a high tolerance or intent. The ng values are confusing.

That is a very high level – and I suspect that if he regularly used tramadol, that it was more of an accidental death. If he didn’t regularly use it and just took a lot of the pills  – I’d be more inclined to think suicide.  Obviously, the coroner didn’t know either and put “undetermined” for the manner because it could not be determined.

 

Do coroners routinely scan (human) bodies for the same kind of ID chip that some animals get? I read a news story a few years ago about people voluntarily getting RFID chips implanted – in one case it was to verify their identity and age at a bar.

No, we don’t check.  No Coroner that I have ever met checks, either.

 

So, my step daughter had a drug problem. She had been missing and her body was found in a secluded area, in her car, with the windows up and doors locked. This is in NC and the weather here was in the 80s. The detective said it looked like she had been there for a while. Her body was badly decomposed so we had to send dental records. The detective on scene said that one tattoo on her forearm was still noticble. My question is, will they ever be able to tell us how long she had expired? The detective said it looked like she has reclined the driver’s seat back to sleep and her cause of death was because she overdosed. We had heard she has been into a drug called “china white.” We had no idea she was doing that kind of drug. My daughter weighed 105lbs. Due to her small size and weather, did that speed up the decomp process? We were told toxicology can take up to 4 months? What will this tell us?  Will they be able to tell what drugs were in her system? They didnt allow us to see her body due to how bad it was decomposed and all items in the car she had with her were destroyed. 

I’m sorry for the death of your step daughter.  I will do my best to answer your questions:
1.  China White is a type of heroin – much stronger than heroin – it’s actually called Alpha Methylfentanyl and it is one of the Fentanyl derivatives.  It is extremely potent and a 105lb person could easily die from a small amount of this drug.
2.  I doubt they can tell you, based on the condition of her body, how long she was there.  That would most likely have to be determined by her last known purchases (receipts) or “last seen alive” times to give you some sort of window for determining post mortem interval.
3.  The warm weather inside a closed vehicle absolutely would have increased her rate of decomposition.
4.  I could see, in larger areas, where toxicology of this sort (many/unknown substances) could take up to 4 months.
5.  The toxicology report will tell you everything that is in her blood at the time of the death.  However, because of her decomposition, they may have had to test brain or liver tissue for toxicology (often there is no viable blood left to test in a decomposed body) which could also lead to the extended time for testing.
6.  Yes, they can tell…even with the advanced decomposition, what her toxicology levels were at the time of death.  There will be some slight changes due to post mortem distribution (levels changing after death), but it will be slight.
7.  I’m sorry they wouldn’t let you see her body.  I don’t agree with that and I always let families view bodies if they wish to – I simply take the time to prepare them for what they will see.
I hope some of these answers help you.

 

My friend hung them self, they kicked a chair out from under them. Did they suffer? No one ever let me see them afterwards. From what I have read it’s not always an easy way to go. Do the eyes really pop out of the head? Does the tongue really swell up and turn blue? They were found within five hours. I have all these questions but no answers. What is it like when someone strangle some salve? Or hangs themselves? I read that people can break their jaw. Was there anyway if he was found within 60 minutes that he could’ve been saved?
Hanging is a fairly quick death, actually.  Did they suffer?  I don’t know.  The eyes do not pop out.  The tongue is usually out, clenched between the teeth and swollen – very common due to hanging.  Jaws aren’t broken in a hanging.  During a hanging, the blood supply is cut off from the head – so, oxygenated blood can’t reach the brain, and the unoxygenated blood can’t leave the brain (all due to the pressure on the carotid artery and jugular veins respectively).  So, hanging is an asphyxiation death – but, because of blood flow.  The person usually passes out in a few seconds and death occurs within minutes after that.    He could not have been saved if he was found an hour later.  Not even 15 minutes later.  I’m very sorry about your friend.

 

If a parasite is found inside a body during autopsy, is this something the coroner researches (i.e goes about identifying it, understanding what the parasite does, etc.) or is this outsourced to someone who specializes in epidemiology? When it comes to parasites, bacteria, viruses, etc., how far does a coroner go on their own with research wise before having to get other personnel involved?
It varies.  We use outside specialists on a case-by-case basis as needed.  We go until we have answers.  So, we wouldn’t just say, “there was some sort of parasite found in the brain” and move on.  We would research who could give us the best answers for figuring out what it was – then determine whether or not it is a public crisis of any sort and take appropriate steps.  We once found a weird spot on a man’s lung, and after quite a process, we discovered it was active Tuberculosis! We had to have the health department go to his home and they treated the entire family.  So, we absolutely keep going until we have answers….there are many, many resources at our disposal.

 

In cases of really messy scenes (large amounts of blood, fluids, etc.) why don’t the Coroners and Police Officers clean it up? It’s not fair that the people left behind should have to clean up a horrific mess. 
First, I am very sorry if you were left to clean up a mess of that sort on your own. It isn’t the Police’s “job” to clean up biohazard from a scene – they aren’t trained for it and don’t have resources for proper disposal. The Coroner also isn’t expected to clean up. I, personally, clean up within reason, anything that I can clean. I certainly can’t clean things like stained upholstery on a scene. That being said, we DO have resources for companies that handle biohazard scenes. What should happen is that the police and/or coroner address that matter with you and help you with names and contacting proper companies to get the job done properly. It shouldn’t be left to you to figure out on your own. I’m sorry for you, or anyone who has had a situation like that handled so poorly.

 

I have an interest in becoming a coroner and I was wondering what your major was in highschool and the level of education required.
I addressed this to much greater depth in our book, Spoiler Alert: You’re Gonna Die, but here’s the short answer: To be a coroner you simply have to get elected.  So, you want enough of a background that makes you ‘electable’.  My degree is in mortuary science.  I didn’t have a major in high school – just general studies.  Any combination of studies in human biology, mortuary science, criminal justice, political science, etc. would be best.

 

What was your first reaction to smelling a dead body?
My first reaction was nothing. I was trying to make the people around me know that I could handle it – so, I didn’t show any reaction.  However, it was rather off-putting.

 

 Can “acute alcohol poisoning” cause death? I know someone who recently died, but the coroner said that the cause of death was unknown. The coroner’s autopsy noted that the BAC found wasn’t fatal, but did amount to acute alcohol poisoning. There was also mention in his report of possible adverse effects of alcohol and nicotine on the heart. Can “acute alcohol poisoning” cause death? Is this a case of alcohol quite possibly being the cause even though the coroner couldn’t prove it?
Acute alcohol poisoning can cause death – definitely.  And, in the case of someone who doesn’t drink and doesn’t have much tolerance, a lower than average level of alcohol could prove to be fatal.

 

What does it mean on an autopsy report if it states “Thymus is not Identified”?
It means the person is over 20/25 years old.  Each person is born with a large thymus gland which aides in developing our immune systems.  This gland shrinks as we age and our immunities develop.  So, by the time a person is young adult – they don’t have a thymus gland anymore.  So, the doctor was simply stating that for this person’s age – they don’t have a thymus gland.

 

Ask a Coroner Q&A – Part 4 3

Hey everyone! We’re back for another round of questions from you all, answered by our favorite Coroner, Jacquie.

 

If cadaveric spasm occurs in a body, will the affected muscles/muscle groups be the first to relax when the body enters secondary relaxation phase?

I’m not sure to be honest.  This sounds logical though.

 

I read that some of the London Grenfell Tower fire victims’ cause of death was “inhalation of fire fumes” and other victims’ cause of death was “smoke inhalation.” What is the difference?

The amount of charring (thermal injury).  Breathing in fire with fumes causes much more damage than breathing in just smoke.

 

My best friend has recently received the autopsy report for her nephew that passed back in March. She has the entire log, but she’s having a problem identifying one of the markings the coroner wrote on the diagram of his body. His back, arms etc. all have markings that have “contusion, lacerations etc” beside them. But the medical examiner marked IOC beside a cut on his leg near the ankle and we are unsure as to what it means. On the phone before we got the paper work, the medical examiner told us that he had a cut on his ankle that needed medical attention prior to death. But we want to know what “IOC” means. Thanks.

Intraosseous Catheter is what that would mean to me.  It’s essentially an IV in the bone on the shin.

 

Sorry if this is personal, but do Coroner’s get paid a lot?

Not too personal at all.  Each county is different and each jurisdiction is different. I know of some coroners in very small, rural areas who make about $10K each year, and I know some other coroners in larger, more urban areas who make over $100K per year.  It varies so much that there is no good answer here.  I currently make about $60K and am hoping for an increase with the next election cycle.  Our salaries are set for 4 years before we ever take office.

 

I read a magazine ad that makes it sound like we need to buy a necessary product, because the vast majority of people die with their intestines full of sludge (which prevented proper digestion and caused every ailment known to man). Is it true? Is intestinal or colon sludge common or “normal”, and is it a problem?

Save your money.

 

Why won’t the Coroner’s office call me back?

Obviously I can’t answer that.  I’m sorry they won’t.  If there’s something I can do to help facilitate answers for you – please let me know.

 

My father died from end stage emphysema. When he died, he turned solid white and he looked so young. He was 75. Is this common for a person to turn white like that? I mean, when he had a crisis, he turned blue and almost purple. I thought that might be the case when he died, but it was not. Both of my parents were in the same hospital room when he died, and then she died a day later. There is so much more I could write and say about this, but I just don’t have the energy. However, I haven’t been able to find anything about a person turning solid white upon death, and was hoping maybe I could find an answer here. 

After a long death process, this makes sense.  The person is lying on their back…blood is flowing…albeit at a slower and slower and slower rate…until death happens and all-at-once, the blood simply settles.  It is no longer flowing.  He appeared white rapidly on the front of his body – but, I am confident his back would have been much more pink in color due to the quick settling of the blood from a long death process.  I’m sorry your parents both died so close to each other.  It sounds like they couldn’t live without each other.

 

Question my son recently died and I recieved the toxicology report. He had an ethanol level of 0.23g % and Benzoylecgonine level of 510ng/ml. Cocaine was not detected. Cocaethylene was less than 25ng/ml. I have a hard time believing that my son was able to hang himself. He died from hanging but it was an unattended death and his girlfriend said she found him and cut him down. No autopsy was performed and I want to make sure that there isn’t foul play due to the fact that his girlfriend wasn’t home until 4am and my son died at 4:50am within the hour of her coming home. Can it be proven that he did cocaine that night? With that level of Benzoylecgonine?

Benzoylecgonine is what the body turns cocaine into.  It shows chronic use – not current use.  Cocaethylene is what the body metabolizes from cocaine and alcohol together.  Again – it doesn’t show acute use unless the cocaine is actually in the blood – which it appears it wasn’t.  I don’t believe he had recent cocaine use (meaning within hours of death).  Also, the time of death is most likely after paramedics/police arrive on scene…and not the actual time of his death which would have been minutes after actually hanging himself.  I’m so sorry you lost your son to suicide. I do not believe the girlfriend could have staged his death to appear to be a suicide by hanging.

 

How should you address a coroner in an official letter?

The Honorable (First Name) (Last name)

or,

(First Name) (Last Name), County Coroner

or,

Coroner (First Name, Last Name)
or,
Coroner (Last Name)
or,
“Hey, you….”
We aren’t picky.

I just received a copy of my grandmother’s death certificate. The cause of death was listed as: “Intestinal toxemia causing heart failure.” If she were to die today, what would a coroner list as the cause of death?

Probably:  Heart Failure due to Ischemic Bowel.

 

Imagine a person is killed by overdose. As they die, can they spell out the letters of the killer in sign language, and somehow hold that position after death?
What?  No.

 

Does an overdose of heroin and fentanyl cause bleeding from the mouth?
It causes fluid to back up in the lungs which will ultimately come out the mouth and nose.  It is usually blood mixed with a watery fluid and it is usually frothy looking due to the air in the lungs.  This is referred to as a “foam cone”.  Short answer, yes, it is quite common to see what appears to be bleeding from the mouth in an opiate overdose.

 

If a person was in a freezer dead for about 24hrs, how long would it take examiners to determine if the person was raped?
However much time it takes for the sexual assault kit to be analyzed, frozen body or not.  If there is trauma from the rape, that would be noted at autopsy.

 

While doing an autopsy is there tell tale signs death was due to smothering/strangulation?
Smothering – sometimes, mostly yes.
Strangulation – yes.
Without knowing your intent with this question, I am hesitant to give away too much detail.

 

How long does it take to die in a freezer?
Minutes.  It depends on the size of the person and the size of the freezer.

 

My brother died on August 3rd, 2017 and the coroner stated they couldn’t find the reason for his death because he was dead/decade for 24 hours. Why is this?
Without knowing more, my guess is that your brother had an electrical issue with his heart.  The heart can stop suddenly due to an electrical issue.  Not saying he was electrocuted, but that the current that made his heart beat may have been working improperly.  We can’t see electrical issues at death.  His heart would have to be sent to a cardiopathologist for the best answers.  Sudden death is almost always due to a heart issue.  If they didn’t see anything at autopsy or looking under a microscope at heart tissue, it was most likely a conductivity issue.

 

Can a parent request no pubic information of her grown son’s death be unsearchable so that no police reports ,medical forms, 911 calls, corners report’s be found? 
In my state, no.  I am not sure if it varies state-by-state. Generally, deaths, including the circumstances surrounding the death is considered a public health matter and is available to the public for public interest.

 

My husband and I have a 15 yr old daughter who is aspiring to be a coroner. She asked for a dissection kit and we talked to her teacher about what to buy and so forth. Do you have any advice? Is it creepy or abnormal for a young girl to be interested and know so much about the human body and anatomy from a young age? 
Encourage her to be a forensic pathologist – not a coroner.  The demand will be great and she will be financially secure!  Coroners are elected and the job market is limited to regions.  However, a forensic pathologist – the doctor who performs the autopsies – can go anywhere and consistently be in demand.  Definitely encourage her.  And no it’s not weird – it’s awesome to know what you love and have a plan.

 
 

Ask a Coroner Q&A – Part 3 1

Let’s dive in to all of your questions for our lovely coroner! Thank you to everyone who has submitted a question – for your interest, patience, and willingness to be involved.

 

My brother took a overdose and died last week. The doctor knew he was depressed, and his wife, but there was still 150 sleeping tablets in the house and 100 depression tablets. He took all of these plus some others. It seems strange so many where at easy reach…what should I do?

You should mourn for the loss of your brother.  There is nothing you can do.  If there were a thousand pills it wouldn’t change anything, he is the one who had the personal responsibility to take the medication as directed. I’m sorry your family had to suffer such a loss, but I am sure your brother had demons he just didn’t have to strength to battle anymore.  It’s not an excuse – it’s a sudden and irrational ‘answer’ to a problem without the ability at the moment to really know and understand the long term consequences on himself and the family.

 

Will dry ice put in my C-PAP machine kill me?

I don’t know, so I’m going to err on the safe side and say, ‘yes’.  Please don’t attempt this.

 

What is the best lab in the country to test for arsenic poisoning? Are fingernail and toenail scrapings and hair as good as analysis of liver and spinal and eye fluid to determine if poisoning has occurred  If someone has been poisoned, can they be given an antidote to remove the residue in the internal organs? I think my father was poisoned. Carlson lab showed a level of 6134 in their analysis of hair, but the autopsy performed in Mississippi and with NMS labs says body is clean. Behavior of wife is heinous so consistent with first positive result. Not sure how to proceed after autopsy. If we should get a third test done?

I’m not sure I understand your question.  I think you are saying that Carlson Lab showed a positive level in their hair analysis, whereas NMS Labs did not show any findings.  If this is truly a concern, and you have evidence to back up a possibility – you could go through the FBI.  My favorite toxicologist is Dr. John Trestail.  He specializes in toxicology related murders and will work with your police agency – if you have a police agency willing to work with you.

 

Hi Jacquie, I am outlining a mystery fiction novel, and am wondering about the following: If someone were to get an autopsy for a death by carbon monoxide poisoning, and this person was a few weeks pregnant, would the pregnancy show up in the autopsy report? Thanks in advance for your help!

If someone was pregnant – and autopsied, then, yes – we would absolutely find the pregnancy at autopsy.

 

My cousin’s son was killed by a train. To date, she has not been able to identify the body. She won’t see him until the day before the funeral. She has many questions…one of them is why wouldn’t the coroner allow her to identify and confirm that is her son?

I can’t speak for other coroners.  I actually know of many locations that do not allow viewings at the coroner’s morgue and reserve that for the funeral home.  Some chalk it up to case load (which in some jurisdictions I could understand), some say that they aren’t preparing a body for a viewing prior to the work done at a funeral home, some just aren’t comfortable with it.  I do allow bodies to be viewed by loved ones prior to autopsy at our facility.  However, I know that we are the exception – not the rule.

 

Facts: My father was a farmer, worked 12-14 hours every day. The day before he died he unloaded more than half of a pickup of seed beans,50lb.bags, faster than a 27 year old neighbor and wife. He used a breath machine, nebulizer every morning after working 3 to 4 hours. My nephew found him dead, breathing machine in right hand, cell phone in left. There was a pink reddish fluid coming out of his lungs. EMS made the statement they had never seen this before!!! Dad had not sprayed pesticides for 2 weeks and pesticides for the orchard were kept the garage. My stepmother had Soaks come get the machine at 9:30 next morning, house keeper was surprised ask why stepmother said that machine cost a lot of money, I went and got the recipients it was 100 percent pay for by BlueCross and Medicare. She said she didn’t think an autopsy was necessary, we agreed. She was on phone shortly after that laughing and smiling, said it was her ex husband asking her out!!! Now, I find there was adultery while he was alive and she never funded the trust my father thought she had (and proudly told everyone). She had been placing so much pressure on him to change his will, enough to have him crying over it. I want an autopsy on my father. I kept investigating I find facts that lead me to think my dad was murdered over love and money. I have talked to Michigan State Police, they wouldn’t listen to all that I know and they dismissed the whole thing !! What should I do? I was told by a different EMS he had the symptoms of Pesticides Poisoning?!

First, I wouldn’t listen to the EMS giving a reliable cause of death.  Also, it sounds like maybe an asthma attack, possibly a pleural effusion (pink fluid).  However, I could guess all day – I don’t have enough of the case information to make a good guess as to cause of death.  However, if you believe that there are situations of possible homicide, possible financial exploitation, etc. – then, you simply follow the chain of command so-to-say.  You would start with the city where the death occurred, if there is no city – and it’s more rural –  you would contact the county sheriff, next would be state police (and you keep working up the ranks until you find answers or you find someone willing to work with you) and next would be FBI.

 

Why would a coroner ask for the will of the deceased? 

I don’t know why a coroner would ‘ask’ for the Will.  The only time I’ve ever used a Will is when it was the only information at a scene that helped to determine the next-of-kin for someone without a contact person.  I can’t say why a Coroner would ask for a Will.  That’s a bit outside the scope of what the Coroner does – unless, like I said – it’s used for identification/notification of next-of-kin.

 

My dads coroners report says he died from lung parenthyma caused by acid in stomach, what does this mean.. i looked it up, but dont understand it?

Essentially, it means he may have vomited or brought up some acid from the stomach and then inhaled it into his lungs which caused him to die from a type of aspiration pneumonia.

 

A family member of mine died recently in a car wreck. When he was autopsied they cut both of his arms open. Why would they do that?

There are many different answers which I can give you – but, I don’t know which one would apply to your particular situation.

1.The arms could be opened to document the extent of injuries (broken bones, etc.).

2.The arms could be opened looking for blood clots or other types of trauma.

3. If there was donation – they cut along the arms to remove long bones for donation.

These are the top reasons that come to mind.

 

Why would 6-Acetylmorphine be found in the vitreous blood but not in femoral blood?

It’s actually 6-Monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM for short) and it is found in the blood or the vitreous (which is a clear fluid in the eye – not blood).  The vitreous holds levels more stable than the blood – so, it may have not metabolized between the two at the time death occurred.

 

Do you sugarcoat the condition of bodies for family members and friends when an accident happens? I lost several very close and dear friends in the Oakland warehouse fire, and in all three cases, the coroner reported that the bodies were not burned. However nobody got to see the bodies, they were cremated. I’m struggling with not trusting the reports.

I don’t sugar coat anything.  I tell families exactly how things are – and I’ve never denied anyone the opportunity to see/view a loved one. However, the fact that you are friends and not family may exclude you from the circle of people who are given all of the details.  I can’t speak for the other coroner – but, if they say the bodies weren’t burned, I’d be inclined to believe they were not burned.  Direct cremation is a very popular disposition – especially if there is any type of trauma to the body.

 

We are trying to view my little brother’s body. He died late Friday night. The coroner’s office told us that nobody was working this weekend and not on Monday either because it was a holiday. Now, it’s Tuesday and they are telling us that the only way we can view the body is at a funeral home. Do they legally have the right to deny us a viewing until such a time as we are able to find a funeral home that we can afford to do a funeral through?

The answer is, yes, the coroner’s office can deny you an opportunity for a viewing – that is what the funeral home is for.  You can ask that the funeral home prepare the body on a table, draped with a sheet and presentable for a private viewing – without incurring the cost of embalming and a full funeral service – however, this is at the availability and discretion of the funeral home you are working with.

 

Can you tell by doing an autopsy if someone has been strangled? Hit over the head?

Yes and yes.

 

I have a family member who died a few years ago. There was an autopsy performed and the cause of death was alcohol, hydrocodone and dihydrocodiene. Nothing else was in his system. Wouldn’t there be other substances that accompany these drugs?

Not necessarily – these are actually a common combination of drugs seen in overdose situations.

 

Is an 80 minute difference in time of death considered close when two time measurements (approximately 40 minutes apart) give 6 hours ago and 8 hours ago?

I’m not sure I exactly understand your question – but, no, a 2 hour discrepancy in time estimation is actually quite small.  We sometimes give 12 hour windows.

 

If a person were underwater for two months in a river, would they still show a bruise on their knee?

Yes.

 

Thanks for reading! We have already received enough questions for a Part 4. Once they are sorted and replied to, we will get it uploaded. Thanks for reading! If you have a question of your own, send it our way.

 

Also, the updated version of our book is up! We added new questions and changed the layout. It’s cleaner, prettier, and perfect for quick reading. Go ahead and check it out, HERE.

 

Ask a Coroner Q&A (Part 2)

We’re back with Part Two! If you missed Part One, go ahead and check that out here. As always, if you have any questions for our Coroner, go ahead and ask them here!

Now on to the good stuff:

Q: “Doing some research for a television program — do body bags come with a name tag on the exterior? If so, when did that become common practice? Is the toe tag still the dominant method for identifying the deceased?”

A: No, no and no.

We have never done a toe tag… In my 20+ years I’ve never even seen a toe tag (that I recall).  I write with a sharpie marker on the outside of the body bag, the person’s name, date and my initials.  Some places have medical wrist bands that they use.  Some places have a sticker that is filled out and goes on the body bag.  I’m more than certain people still use toe tags somewhere – just not here.  Also, a lot of the bigger jurisdictions have moved to a bar coding system – so, the wrist band and/or body bag has a bar code which is scanned for identification purposes.

 

Q: “A deputy coroner chose not to order an autopsy on a 63 year old deceased male because his head and neck were cyanotic. He described the blue color of the head and neck as the cardiac collar, indicating the man died from a heart attack. No tox screen was performed and the man was embalmed and buried. The man’s will is now being contested and his family is making death threats against the attorney trying to investigate the death. Any thoughts on possible causes of death and the “cardiac collar” theory?”

A: When blood flow is restricted because of a blockage in one of the coronary arteries there is often a bluish/purplish distinct tint that begins at approximately the nipple line and goes up – especially if the person is lying on a bed or on the floor, and the head is resting somewhat below the level of the chest – which causes the blood to pool in that area.  It is a distinct sign of sudden cardiac death.  The family should not make death threats – that’s bad form.  The attorney will not be able to change the cause of death.  Simply get a copy of the coroner’s report in addition to the death certificate.  I can’t even begin to guess at a cause of death.  However, I would suggest a more ‘blanket’ type cause of death such as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or hypertensive cardiovascular disease in a case such as this.  Using acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) is specific and really should only be used if it is a known blood clot or complete blockage in one of the coronary arteries.  Given the information you provided, however, it’s probably a fair assumption.

 

Q: “Will the coroner’s office try to figure out whether the deceased had life insurance before they hand over the body to the state? This would be in order to see whom the beneficiary is (either family they had not been able to locate who can then make arrangements; or the funeral home so they can have a proper burial?). Will the funeral home be notified so they can file a claim for burial/cremation?”

A: Several things to say here: We don’t look for life insurance before releasing the body for disposition at the cost of the state.  What happens, is we hold the body for a long time and exhaust all efforts to find the next of kin.  If no one is ultimately found, the body is released for disposition at the cost of the state and ALL assets are seized by the state.  If someone is found and wants nothing to do with the body – they sign away all rights to all assets and the body is buried/cremated by the state.  Generally, if there is a life insurance beneficiary that person is in a position to be able to cover the nominal costs of a direct cremation if nothing else.

 

Q: “This question is a personal and honestly depicted scenario about suicide. Please be extremely honest and I will explain further should you require it. Please tell me if a male who is over 6ft commits suicide by hanging .. outside in the woods and is there undiscovered for approx 14-16 days what would he look like … based on normal animal, weather and decomposition, I really need to know because something is bugging me about this.”

A: I will be as blunt as possible to answer your question as directly as I can.  My answer is: I don’t know.  I would need to know many more things. Are we talking outside in the woods in Florida for 16 days or outside in the woods in Northern Maine for 16 days?  Are we talking July or November?  Are we talking hanging with suspension or hanging with feet on the ground? With some more information, I might be able to answer this question more thoroughly. Feel free to email askacoroner@gmail.com and I will try to help you some more.

 

Q: “Is it true that the legs will cross if a person dies while standing?”

A: No.

 

Q: “My son drowned 10 years ago and was in a river for 3-4 days before he was found. He was not embalmed, and buried in a coffin. What would the condition of his body/ bones be now?”

A: First off, my sincerest condolences for the loss of your son. Decomposition is usually slowed while the body is still in the water and then accelerated considerably when out of the water.  After 10 years, and not embalmed, my thought is that he is mostly skeletonized at this point. Again, I’m so sorry.

 

Q: “I am doing research for a book I am writing….just a quick question, that you may or may not be able to answer: If a person who has emphysema, is on breathing treatments to open his lungs to be able to breath, along with oxygen and was suffocated, is this something that would show up in an autopsy, or would the other conditions probably make this undetectable?”

A: My first thought is, “why is someone with emphysema and oxygen dependent being autopsied  in the first place?”  There has to be more to the story to even consider an autopsy of someone with that kind of medical history.

 

Q: “Can forensic autopsy prove that a newborn infant has been purposely smothered/suffocated? If so how does the coroner reach the conclusion that the infant did not die of “natural causes.”‘

A: “Sometimes” is my best answer. Sometimes there is blanching where the nose and mouth were covered.  Sometimes there are frenulum tears.  Sometimes it is just scene interpretation and personal interviews that leads to a diagnosis of suffocation.

 

Thanks for reading! Stick around (subscribe to our site to receive email notifications) for Part 3 which will be published soon. Keep the questions coming!

Finally, the Q&A you have been waiting for! (Part 1)

We have received SO many questions – very interesting ones at that! For those new to this site, Jacquie is a Coroner in Kendall County, Illinois. She has dedicated most of her life working in the death industry. Here, she spends time talking about various aspects of death. Many questions asked by users on an anonymous internet forum, along with her stories, information and advice have been published in the book, “Spoiler Alert: You’re Gonna Die“. Since the book release, she has continued answering them here on the blog. We have received hundreds of questions from all over the world. If you have one of your own, we invite you to go ahead and ask here.

Now, let’s get right in to the good stuff!

Q: “Hey Jacquie! I first read about you on BHB, so of course had to buy your book. I read it in one day and loved it. It’s awesome, and so are you! Thank you for starting this conversation and bringing awareness to this very important and unavoidable topic. It really got me thinking about my own death.

Which brings me to my question. Naturally, after reading your book, I tried talking to my husband about making plans and at least having a general idea of being prepared for “when the time comes” for us. It’s something we’ve never discussed. We don’t have a will or anything either. So when I brought it up, I just said that this book was eye-opening, made me think, etc. and that I think it’s important to think about and discuss. He just closed off completely and got stubborn and defensive. He then refused to talk about it. I can kind of understand where he’s coming from, because his mother died young about 14 years ago from complications after a liver transplant when he was 20. They were extremely close, and it was (and still is) very difficult for him to deal with. I’ve fortunately not yet experienced the death of a parent or anyone else very close to me. I want to have this conversation with him, but I know it’s painful for him to talk or even think about death. I mean, it’s not something I like thinking about, either, but it’s kind of important. He says he doesn’t want to feel pressured/shamed/guilted into talking about something he’s not comfortable thinking about. (I did none of those things when I brought up the topic – all I said was, hey this is something we should talk about.) The last thing I want to do is bring up bad or painful memories for him, but I do want to have some sort of plan to help alleviate that worry down the road (for both of us). I have no idea what his thoughts are about his own death. Does he want to be buried, and if so, where? Or does he want to be cremated, and if so, what does he want done with the cremains? It just makes me nervous/anxious thinking about it obviously, because even though I don’t want to think about him dying in the first place, it makes it so much more difficult not even having a general idea of what he would want because he refuses to talk about it.

I can’t force him to talk about this, but where do I go from here? Do you have any suggestions for ways I can gently talk about this without making him feel pressured? I feel like there’s no easy way to talk about this stuff. But I want to establish a “plan” for myself at the very least, and I do plan on writing some of this stuff down. I’m just at a loss as to what to do when it comes to my husband.

Anyway, thanks so much for everything you do! I can only hope that the coroner in charge of handling my death is as wonderful, compassionate, and caring as you are.”

A: Honestly, one of the best suggestions I can think of is to make your own plans for him. Write them all down, then show them to him. If he doesn’t have any opinions, seeing your ideas might make him start thinking and compel him form some of his own. If you really want to get him to participate, make sure the plans you create are absolutely terrible. I am sure he’ll object if you tell him you want to have his body stuffed to be on display in the living room, or that you want his remains turned in to a toilet paper holder. When he does, tell him it’s happening unless he comes up with something better. Thank you for your kind words! I’m sorry to hear of his loss. Death is a painful topic for many people, but when it comes to the details, there really isn’t any easy way to sugarcoat it.

 

Q: “During an autopsy are AIDS and Hepatitis automatically checked for? Are toxicology and blood tests (for disease) run even if they find something catastrophic early on?”

A: AIDS is never routinely checked for.  Even with clinical history – we don’t check for it. We’ll make note that the person has a clinical diagnosis of AIDS.  Hepatitis is a very broad term for inflammation/diseases of the liver, and hepatitis is often seen. We don’t necessarily test for which type of hepatitis unless microscopic studies are needed for some reason.

 

Q: “How many deaths do you see with pineal lesion or cyst, also with hemiplegic migraine?”

A: Personally, I’ve never seen a Pineal Lesion or cyst (Pineal Gland Lesions are rare and cause symptoms like headaches, seizures, emesis and paralysis of upward gaze.) The doctors and techs I work with, in other counties, have seen them. Again, very rare.  Hemiplegic Migraine, (which causes weakness on one side of the body during a migraine), I haven’t ever come across.

 

Q: “What are the rules regarding what information a coroner can disclose, and who they can disclose it to? What about cases of suicide?”

A: It depends on the state you are in.  In IL, each case is considered public record and can be disclosed to anyone who asks.  Generally, people don’t ask… but, if they do, we have to let them see it or provide copies.  Certain copies (autopsy reports, toxicology reports, coroner reports, etc.) have a fee set by state statute – so, people have to pay the fees to get copies of those reports.  The only thing we don’t give out is a copy of the death certificate which is considered to be a vital record and not public record.

 

Q: “I’m writing a novel and it the detective wants to know if a murder victim had sexual intercourse before his demise. Is there a way the medical examiner can determine that and how? Thank you.”

A: For a male, I believe the only way would be to swab the inside of the urethra for sperm and to swab the outside for DNA for another person (female or male).

 

Q: “If you were choosing a career field now, would you choose this career? Why or why not?”

A: No, if I could choose any career, I would want to be my husband’s smartphone so he’d interact with me more.

Honestly, though, I would probably choose something similar, but not this actual career.  I’d likely go into forensic genetics.  Reasons?  1) Hours. 2) Pay.

 

Q: “Can a coroner’s report detail the exact benzo or opiate that was in your system, or will the class of the drug just be listed? If they don’t know, will they just list the class instead of the exact name of drug? I’ve seen reports with both.”

A: All forensic labs have testing limits.  So, for easy math, let’s pretend the testing limit for the blood is 1.0 and the actual level found in the body is 0.75 – then, no – it won’t be listed in the blood because it doesn’t meet the reporting limit. However, if there is a urine sample provided with the blood sample – then, the urine sample will show positive/negative results and it will show positive for the actual drug classification.  That’s probably why you have seen reports with both.  However, if we pretend the drug met the testing limit, let’s say in this case it was heroin, then the blood results will show morphine with an actual level, plus another agent that is usually used to cut the heroin, (let’s say codeine), plus we will see 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM) which always indicates heroin.  The urine will simply show positive for opiates and positive for 6-MAM.  But, we will also see a positive for opiates in the blood.  I hope that makes some sense.

 

Q: “Would a person who Over dosed on a speedball know what is happening to them?”

A: No. They would eventually just go to sleep/pass out and their body systems would shut down slowly.

 

Q: “How is the corpse’s hair prepared for a showing?”

A: For a woman, usually a funeral home contracts with a hairdresser who comes in and does the hair.  The hair is washed during the embalming process.  It is combed straight through.  The hair dresser will use curling irons, flat irons, etc. to style the hair according to the family’s wishes.  Men’s hair is simply combed.

 

Q: “If a person colors/dyes their hair, does the dye seep through the scalp onto the skull cap and then color the skull cap (multicolor)?”

A: No. Not at all.

 

Q: “I’m an absolute mess….have been for over 6 months….I not only have extreme torso bloating…I am all bones from the chest up. Severe pain that only aspirin and milk seem to help…any ideas…thanks..!!”

A: WAT? Umm, I’d recommend you see an internist…

 

Q: “For what reason would you open a person’s back and legs during an autopsy?”

A: We would open the legs looking for deep vein thrombosis.  We would open the back looking for deep tissue injury in the event of an in-custody beating or something like that.  Mostly we can see the back wall from the inside when we have the chest open and the organs removed – so, anything pertinent will be seen.  There’s very little reason to open the back.  In child abuse cases, we will make thin slices (called fileting) from the top of the shoulders, long ways, to the bottom of the thighs, looking for deep tissue bruising from severe abuse.  Depending on the size of the child you could have anywhere from 10 to 20 or so ‘slices’ down the back. It is very sad.

 

More questions will be posted soon. If reading these triggered a few questions of your own, go ahead and ask them! Thanks for reading & sharing.

(If you sent a question requiring a personal reply, check your email, as some were sent out today. If you still haven’t received a response, send an email to askacoroner@gmail.com)

 

Still Alive

Hey everyone,

I know, I know, it has been a while! We are so sorry to have been missing these last few months. Things have been a whirlwind, but we’re still breathing and have a lot of exciting news!

As many of you know, Jacquie has been campaigning to be her county’s next coroner. With the retirement of her boss, she decided to throw her hat in the ring this election,AND WON! In typical writer fashion, I asked her for an “official comment” on the election. She always has something good to say, I swear. “My treasurer told me to trust my voters and I did. That gave me a lot of comfort on election night. I was prepared for the ebb /flow of the results, but that didn’t happen…I started with a lead and as the night went on that lead got bigger and stronger. I was SO happy and thankful to everyone who supported and believed in me. I will assume the office of Coroner on December 1 and have huge plans for making this office the biggest and best ever. It’s odd…I’m probably the only elected coroner who doesn’t think we should have coroners (I still think regional medical examiners makes the most sense), but as long as we have a coroner system I am going to do my very best to make sure that our office and county are represented as top notch and go from there.”

Campaigning, working full time, parenting and so much more has pulled us away from this blog and our book. We are finally getting back in to the swing of things. Some of you have noticed the print version is no longer available on Amazon and other vendor sites. We are currently working on a new layout, so the print has been pulled. The feedback we received on the book has been absolutely amazing! But, it was brought to our attention that the inside was lacking the look and interest that both the cover and the writing possessed. Honestly, it fell flat, and we 100% agreed. So, we have decided to re-format the entire book to make it match the heart and tone we have set everything else at. While this process is underway we have been making some changes and additions to the text – so it will look and feel like a whole new book! If you have read the book and would like to offer any feedback, shoot us an email at askacoroner@gmail.com (or leave an amazon review – we don’t obsessively check those or anything…). We take your words seriously, and they are so appreciated.

So many questions have come in over these last couple months. Jacquie is working tirelessly on answering each and every one. I will be putting out a few blog posts with the questions and her answers very soon, so keep your eyes peeled. I want to apologize for taking so long to get back to everyone. If you don’t see your question answered over the next few weeks, please feel free to send us a direct email and we will work to get the answer. askacoroner@gmail.com

Thanks again everyone! You’ll be seeing more of us around here!

-Korttany

How One Person’s Views on Life, Death & Snickers Bars were Forever Changed

So, there’s this coroner who invited thousands of strangers to ask her questions about death. Sounds like a pretty weird invitation, right? My first thought upon discovering this, was, “What kind of weirdo’s actually want to talk about death?” I, myself, had done a pretty good job at completely avoiding any and every aspect of death, and thoroughly intended to keep it that way. However, my curiosity was piqued and I had a bit of time on my hands, so I began reading. Plus, I kind of wanted to see what types of questions these death crazed maniacs were asking.
One of the first question was from someone wondering the strangest thing the coroner had ever found in a body. Jacquie, the coroner, replied, “A fun-sized Snickers bar and a remote control. It was pretty awkward returning that remote to the family…” Another person chimed in and said, “Wait, you returned the remote, but what did you do with the Snickers?” Jacquie quickly replied, “I ate the Snickers bar.”  *Insert face of shock and horror*

It was at that moment that I became hooked (and found myself thinking, “No friggin’ way! Is this real life?!” Over and over again). This coroner was clearly hilarious, and the questions were both interesting and informative. I figured, “hey, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” and spent the next few days delving in to this collection of questions and answers. There were plenty of interesting questions about if Jacquie had ever encountered ghosts, the unsolvable or scary cases she has worked, how she would like to die, and how in the world did she ever decide to become a coroner? Mixed in were heartfelt stories of people who had experienced loss. There were things they had always wondered about and needed the answers to help with their healing journey. Others were genuinely curious about the options we all have for our body when we die and the pure logistics of how the process actually works. One person even asked how a decomposing body really smells? (I can guarantee the coroner’s explanation is not what you think, and entirely doable for you folks who want experience it at home. Any DIYers in the room?)

I found a few things to be interesting about all of this dialogue: It was entirely death focused. The stories, the information, the questions and even the humor. Here was a group of random strangers (whom, to my surprise, weren’t death freaks at all, but every day, normal people, just like me,) conversing about a subject that most everyone avoids. And everyone was having a good time! I learned that there are so many different aspects to death, and while many are sad, heartfelt and meaningful, there is also an entirely different side that includes laughter and jokes and curiosity. A side I had never experienced before. This lighthearted approach tempered the typical depressing (and easily avoidable) aspects, allowing us all to become comfortable with talking about it and encouraging us to really start viewing death in an entirely new way. And that, was my ah-ha” moment. I suddenly realized that everyone needs to be talking about death – and this book, Spoiler Alert: You’re Gonna Die, was my golden ticket to this new reality.

The fact of the matter is, as the title states, we are all going to die. And there is actually a ton of stuff we should be doing to prepare for the inevitable. But, because many of us love to avoid the issue, most people never prepare at all. And even more of us don’t even know how  to prepare. By the end of the book, I walked away with an entirely new perspective on life and death, as well as a complete understanding of what is actually expected of me before I pass. All while having a few laughs! The book also offers a guide to planning the details of what you want to have happen when you die, as recommended by a coroner. It’s an entirely new take on death, and one that truly changed me after I experienced all it had to offer. Bonus – I am now able to talk about this stuff with all my friends, and at these newly discovered death café’s (which you should all totally be checking out, by the way,) because I have an arsenal of crazy interesting stories and the book itself to talk about. As it turns out, we’re all just a bunch of crazy death freaks who can’t resist juicy stories about Snickers bars in bodies, death poops, and that one guy who died naturally while committing suicide.

In case you’re wondering, the book is called, Spoiler Alert: You’re Gonna Die. It’s available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Itunes, etc. Jacquie still answers questions, and you can submit yours/learn more on her site, www.askacoroner.com

 

(This post was submitted to the site by a reader. Thank you!)