Death cont.
by admin on Jan.30, 2009, under Uncategorized
When a person dies, it becomes necessary for law enforcement to become involved when a doctor is not in attendance. Law enforcement involvement suggests to some that there was some kind of foul play resulting in death which is not necessarily true. In fact, the reason for law enforcement involvement is to rule out such an incident. A LEO (law enforcement officer) will arrive on the scene of the death and will first ascertain as to supposed cause, time and method of the death along with the name of the deceased. If family is not present, he will then seek to contact them. Finding the next of kin can sometimes be a real challenge, especially if they don’t live nearby. Usually the LEO will search the residence to find clues as to who the next of kin may be.
The LEO will also check the body of the deceased for signs of foul play. This will include rolling the body over to insure all areas have been checked.
Once there is confirmation of no foul play and the death seems to be of natural causes, the LEO will contact the deceased’s doctor to inform them of the death and ascertain whether the death was expected. Should the death have been an expected outcome, the LEO will ask if the doctor will sign the death certificate. If the doctor agrees to sign, the body can be released to the funeral home of the family’s choosing. If the death was unexpected or the doctor refuses to sign the death certificate, the body must then be placed into the care of the coroner. The LEO should be willing to assist the family in contacting the immediate family and arranging for the disposition of the body. The LEO should fill out a full report on the death to be sent to the records office.
Death of a loved one is not a pleasant experience but the stress of it can be relieved if there has been a will, trust and/or funeral arrangements made ahead of time.
Death that occurs in a hospital, under hospice care or attended by a doctor will not need to have law enforcement involvement as these are expected deaths and are under a physicians care.
Should you find yourself involved in a “death” situation, please feel free to ask the officer that responds any questions. They are there for you and can often offer help and other resources to assist you through this difficult time.
