Health Care Agency

Medical Examiner

Mission Statement

The Ventura County Medical Examiner's mission is to respectfully provide professional, accurate and timely death investigation services to all residents of Ventura County, while complying with applicable California statutes.

Purpose

The purpose of the Medical Examiner - Coroner is to accurately determine the cause, manner and circumstances of deaths that fall under the jurisdiction of the coroner as defined by California statutes, to identify decedents, to locate and notify next-of-kin, and to do so in a timely fashion.

Methods

The Medical Examiner mission is accomplished by taking initial reports of death from reporting parties such as police, health care providers, families and funeral directors, and then initiating death investigations when appropriate. Investigations may be as simple as a few phone calls to verify an expected death from a known terminal condition, or as complex as a thorough death scene investigation, property protection, multiple interviews, autopsy, identification procedures, location and notification of next-of-kin, consultations with other experts, and extensive laboratory testing. Initial reports of death are taken by medical examiner investigators, usually by phone. Generally, the investigator decides whether the death falls under the coroner jurisdiction and whether a formal investigation of the death will occur. The investigator usually also decides how extensive the investigation should be, varying the extent of the investigation based on the unfolding findings during the investigation. At some point during the investigation the investigator consults with one or both of the physician medical examiners who may decide an autopsy is needed or give other investigative guidance.

Eventually, death certificates are generated, investigative reports and autopsy reports are prepared, and testimony in courts is given as needed.

The Medical Examiner Department employs two physician forensic pathologists (who also act as department administrators), five investigators providing 24 hour County coverage, one forensic pathology technician, one or two part-time weekend/holiday forensic pathology technician, and one secretary.

Users of Medical Examiner Services

Major consumers of the information collected and services provided by the Medical Examiner are the families of the decedent; the funeral/mortuary industry; the criminal justice system (District Attorney, Sheriff, Public Defender, city police departments, private defense attorneys); the civil courts system; the public health system at the local, state and federal level; the military; physicians and the health care delivery system; civil attorneys; insurance companies, and researchers of mortality causality.

Primary services include determining the cause, manner and circumstances of deaths within the County that occur under unknown or suspicious circumstances and documenting those findings. Documentation of the findings is by reports, photographs and by evidence collected. Services also include identifying deceased individuals, notifying relatives of deaths; protecting the immediate property on or about the body; initiating the death certificate and, certifying the death and providing forensic consultative services concerning the deaths investigated.

Legal Requirements

California law requires the Medical Examiner/Coroner to investigate deaths that occur from unknown causes or under suspicious circumstances. The decision about what deaths should be investigated is made by the Medical Examiner. Not all deaths require a legal investigation.

Deaths Reportable to the Coroner

The following categories of deaths are immediately reportable to the Coroner:

1. suspected or known homicides, suicides, and accidents,
2. deaths involving suspected or known criminal activity,
3. poisonings and deaths related to substance abuse,
4. deaths occurring either in jail or in police custody,
5. deaths at state mental hospitals,
6. deaths related to occupational diseases or hazards,
7. deaths occurring outside health care facilities *,
8. deaths in which the deceased was not attended by a physician for the for the 20 days prior to dying,
9. deaths in which a physician can not reasonably give the cause of death (unwillingness does not apply),
10. deaths involving suspected contagious diseases constituting a public hazard,
11. deaths of unidentified persons,
12. deaths occurring within 24 hours of hospital admission, and
13. deaths suspected to be from sudden infant death syndrome.

Immediate reporting of the above listed deaths assures compliance with the statutory provisions of California Government Code 27491 and Health and Safety Code 10250.

* Medical Examiner policy is to assure that minimally attended deaths are reviewed.

Investigations

When the Medical Examiner is notified of a death, and the death comes under his jurisdiction, an investigation surrounding the death is initiated. The investigation may be done by phone or it may require that a Medical Examiner Investigator travel to the scene of the death and do an investigation. The Medical Examiner Investigator may make the determination to release the body from the death scene directly to a mortuary or may decide to have the body transported to the Ventura County Morgue facility pending additional investigation. The investigation to determine cause and manner of death may include interviewing witnesses, friends, relatives, and health care providers. An examination of the death scene and the surroundings may also be included in the investigation to collect and preserve evidence. The investigation may also require a physical examination of the body or autopsy, and may require laboratory tests of tissue or bodily fluids.

Choosing a Mortuary/Funeral Home

Mortuaries are listed under Funeral Directors in the local telephone book and can be found on the internet. Prices for essentially the same services may vary from one mortuary to another. Some mortuaries may wave certain fees for certain types of deaths, such as infants.

Personal Property

Any personal property recovered by a Medical Examiner Investigator at a death scene may be claimed, under most circumstances, by the next of kin during normal office hours, 8:00 am-4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

Resource Information

1. You may obtain copies of the death certificate from the funeral home, or the County Health Department. (805) 981-5172.
2. You may obtain copies of the autopsy report from the County Medical Examiner at (805) 641-4400.
3. You may obtain a copy of a police report from the police agency or Sheriff Department investigating a death, accident or crime.
4. You may obtain medical records from the hospital or clinic where the deceased was taken.
   Note: It takes varying amounts of time to obtain death certificates, medical records, autopsy and police reports. Please ask officials when you can expect them.
5. You may file for social security benefits by contacting the Social Security Administration.
6. If the deceased was a veteran and was collecting veteran's benefits, contact the Veterans Administration Regional Office. The mortuary you select will assist with obtaining burial benefits from the Veterans Administration.
7. Notify the insurance agent and the bank of the person who has died.
8. If there is a criminal case pending, contact the district attorney in the county where the crime occurred for more information.
9. The families of violent crime victims should contact the District Attorney's Office Victim Services Division, in Ventura County at (805) 654-3622.

Additional Resources

California State Coroner's Association
National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME)

Miscellaneous Information

Identification and Viewing: Contrary to popular belief, it is not required or usually necessary for the next of kin to come to the Medical Examiner Coroner's facility to visually identify the decedent. We understand you may wish to see the decedent as soon as possible. In consideration of this, we will work with the funeral home or cremation service of choice to expedite the release of the decedent for viewing purposes. You can then work directly with them to arrange for the service.

Insufficient Funds: If the deceased's estate does not have sufficient funds to cover the cost of the disposition of the remains and you are unable to assume the financial responsibility, you may apply for assistance from the Ventura County Public Administrator's Office. Your funeral director or cremation service director will be able to assist you in this process.

Extent of Investigation by the Medical Examiner

The Medical Examiner Coroner has the authority to determine the extent of inquiry into reportable deaths. Not all Coroner investigations include autopsies. The Medical Examiner may authorize attending physicians to certify reportable deaths that are clearly from natural causes.

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