lacounty.gov

Coronavirus Information and Resources

For mortuary or funeral home workers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have provided guidance for proper procedures for body handling in cases of known or suspected COVID-19.

There are also guidelines to provide families on concerns around having funerals or visitation services, and the risks involved. These guidelines can be found here:

CDC
OSHA

General Information for Mortuaries

This information is presented to provide mortuary and crematory personnel with general and specific information concerning those cases that come under the jurisdiction of the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

Any questions concerning this information will be gladly answered by department personnel.

The Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner is located at: 1104 North Mission Road, Los Angeles, CA 90033.

Our offices are located at the corner of Mission Road and Marengo Street, on the grounds of the Los Angeles County+University of Southern California (LAC+USC) Medical Center. The Investigations Division is on duty 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, 365 days a year.

Cause of Death

DEFERRED CERTIFICATE

In cases where the cause of death cannot be determined at the time of autopsy, a deferred certificate will be issued until additional studies have been completed. Once the cause of death has been established, the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office will enter an amendment to the Death Certificate into the California Electronic Death Registration System. (EDRS) Certified copies of the death certificate and amendment must be obtained from the Los Angeles County Department of Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk once the State has completed the processing of the amendment.

CAUSE OF DEATH - UNDETERMINED CERTIFICATE

There are a small number of cases where an autopsy and complete laboratory and investigative studies have been performed and the cause of death still cannot be determined. In these cases, the Certificate of Death will reflect that fact.

CAUSE AND MANNER OF DEATH QUESTIONED BY FAMILY

There are times when the cause and manner of death as determined by this department is questioned by the family. A letter should be sent to the Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner containing any new or different evidence and requesting a review of the cause and manner of death. The case will be reviewed and may be re-opened depending on the nature of the new evidence.

Non-Coroner Cases

The decision as to whether a death is in fact a Coroner's case rests with the Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office. If it is decided that the death is not a Coroner's case, it then becomes the responsibility of the attending physician to certify the death.

Nursing Home Deaths

All funeral directors are reminded that when a death occurs in an extended nursing home facility, board and care, group home or hospice and there is knowledge or suspicion of trauma, negligence, abuse, or poor care, the Coroner shall be notified immediately.

Form 18

Hospital and Nursing Care Facility Report

Port of Entry Letters

Port of Entry letters may be requested by Funeral Directors for authorization to ship a body out of the country. Port of Entry letters may be requested by telephone number 323.343.0520 from the Medical Examiner-Coroner Public Services records section. They are usually available within a few hours after the request is received. Click below to email us if you have any questions.

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Pre-Need Arrangement

EMERGENCY PERSONNEL:

1. During the course of his/her duties, an emergency first responder may become exposed to blood or other bodily fluids from a coroner’s case. In conjunction with their respective department’s exposure protocol, this office will conduct HIV & Hepatitis C testing on a decedent (exposure source) at the request of a health care provider currently treating the exposed personnel.

2. The request must be made on the Department’s confidential “Request/Exposure Report” form. When this signed Request/Report form is returned to the Forensic Laboratories Division (FAX: 323.222.5171 the decedent's blood will be tested for HIV & Hepatitis C.

3. All results will be held in confidence by the Chief, Forensic Laboratories Division. HIV & Hepatitis C test results may only be released to the health care provider for the exposed emergency responder, or directly to the “designated officer” of the emergency responder’s department.

GOOD SAMARITANS:

1. The Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner will honor a “Request/Exposure Report” form from a Good Samaritan who has been exposed to blood or other bodily fluids during life saving procedures provided to a decedent before their death.

2. Negative test results will be provided directly to the exposed individual.

3. Any positive test results will be referred to the County’s AIDS Program Office for notification to the exposed individual.

FAMILY MEMBERS:

A signed release, signed pre-arrangement, or fax indicating mortuary preference, must be presented to this Department on all cases where Coroner's personnel have removed the remains to the Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

When a decedent has made arrangements for the disposition of his/her own remains in writing, either in the form of a Will or pre-need document, this document is a valid release. A photocopy or FAX of that document will be accepted, provided it is signed, dated and specifies a mortuary.

Unidentified Remains

Unidentified human remains with a signed death certificate are reportable to the Coroner for the purposes of establishing identification.

Mortuary Sign-Outs

If a person’s death falls under certain criteria set by the Chief Medical Examiner, they may be released from a scene or medical facility directly to a local mortuary selected by the legal next of kin who has the right to control the disposition of the remains. A cause of death will be determined based on the decedent’s medical history and the circumstances of the death. A Medical Examiner-Coroner Investigator will coordinate with the mortuary to schedule an examination of the decedent at the mortuary. Prior to responding to any mortuary, the Investigator shall contact the mortuary and ascertain that the Order for Release (Form 5) has been completed. On the reverse of the Form #5, there is a decedent identification section that is required to be completed for Mortuary Sign-outs. There is also space for information obtained by the mortuary or their accommodation service that may provide additional information about the decedent’s prior medical history or the circumstances of the death. The Investigator shall review the following documentation and specimens to ensure that all required information is contained therein:

Order For Release – Form #5
Hospital Report to Coroner – Form #18 (if applicable).
Medications - (if applicable).

The Investigator will ensure that all documents are collected and other required information is completed properly. Hospital paperwork recovered by a mortuary from hospitals where the decedent is released directly to the mortuary, belongs to the Medical Examiner-Coroner, not the mortuary, or the family. Those records were released with the understanding that they would be taken into possession by the Medical Examiner-Coroner. The decedent is required by be properly identified and tagged by the mortuary. After the remains have been properly identified, the investigator shall thoroughly examine the front, back and sides of the decedent. This will require the decedent to be nude and positioned on a mortuary table. Should the Investigator discover anything suspicious about the person’s death whether it is trauma or bruising to the body or circumstances surrounding the death that may indicate foul play, the death certificate shall not be signed and the body will be ordered into the Medical Examiner-Coroner’s facility for examination by a Deputy Medical Examiner.

Mortuary sign-outs can only be done at mortuaries located within Los Angeles County. Out of county mortuaries can schedule a Counter Sign-out and bring the decedent’s body and all required paperwork to the Forensic Science Center for examination by a Coroner Investigator.

Form 18

Hospital and Nursing Care Facility Report

Form 5

Order for Release

Clearance Cases

Section 27491 of the Government Code, provides that the Coroner shall have discretion to determine the extent of inquiry to be made into any death occurring under natural circumstances and falling within the provisions of law. If such inquiry determines that the physician of record has sufficient knowledge to reasonably state the cause of a death occurring under natural circumstances, the Coroner may authorize that physician to sign the death certificate. In all other instances, the Coroner or his appointed deputy shall personally sign the certificate of death. On deaths from natural causes (with the exception of certain Nursing Home Deaths) where the attending physician has not seen the decedent within 20 days prior to death, but has attended the deceased within 6 months of death, permission may be given to that physician to certify the cause of death, if the following criteria are met:

The attending physician, his or her associate has a professional opinion as to the cause of death and is willing to so certify, and;
The circumstances surrounding the death are known and there is no evidence of trauma.

These cases will be issued a clearance number by the reporting desk staff. This clearance number will be provided to the Funeral Director and entered into the California Electronic Death Registration System. (EDRS).

Body Release

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner releases bodies on Monday through Saturday excluding County (legal) holidays. See below for current release hours. Mortuaries are required to submit a signed Order for Release (Form 5) in order to collect the decedent. The Order to Release must be signed by the legal next of kin, or the mortuary must submit documents supporting why the legal next of kin is not handling the release. In the event someone is making the arrangements for the family, the Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner must be provided with a notarized written authorization to release the decedent, signed by the legal next of kin.

The current release hours are 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Glossary of Terms

Autopsy

also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy (particularly as to non-human bodies), autopsia cadaverum, or obduction — is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists 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. It is usually performed by a specialized medical doctor called a pathologist.

Biological specimens

blood, sections of organs, vitreous, bile, and urine.

Cause of death

an injury or disease that ultimately leads to death of the individual, generally determined by medical examiners or coroners.

Certificate of Religious Belief

in California, in order to execute a certificate of religious belief, a person must be 18 years of age or older and must state in clear and unambiguous language that any postmortem anatomical dissection or that specified procedures would violate the religious convictions of the person. The certificate must be signed and dated by the person in the presence of at least two witnesses. Each witness must also sign the certificate and must print on the certificate his or her name and residence address. California law allows the state to override religious objection if the coroner "has a reasonable suspicion that the death was caused by the criminal act of another or by a contagious disease constituting a public health hazard."

Chain of custody

a method of keeping track of who has handled a piece of evidence and when.

County Disposition

The County of Los Angeles will cremate the remains of a decedent and hold the cremains (ashes) for a period of time (about 3 years) before the ashes are interred in a common gravesite at the LA County Cemetery.

Decomposition

the disintegration of body tissues after death.

DME

Department of Medical Examiner

Evidence

any physical items such as bullets, hairs, fibers, biological fluids, etc., documents and statements that are included in a legal investigation for the jury’s or judge’s consideration in the determination of an individual’s guilt or innocence.

Forensic pathologist

A medical doctor who specializes in the sub-specialty of pathology that focuses on determining the cause of death by examining a corpse. The autopsy is performed by the pathologist usually during the investigation of criminal law cases and civil law cases in some jurisdictions.

Forensic Science

Forensic Science is the application of all forms of science to aid legal investigations.

Indigency

The lack of ability to pay as a legal reason for having certain required fees waived; being declared eligible for free services.

Manner of death

is how the death came about. Natural - due entirely (or nearly so) to natural disease processes. Homicide - due to a volitional act of another person. Suicide - due to injury that occurred with the intent to induce self-harm or cause one’s own death. Accident - due to injury when there is no evidence of intent to harm. Undetermined - inadequate information regarding the circumstances of death to determine manner; example: individual found unconscious with massive subdural hemorrhage; in the absence of information on the events leading up to death, it is impossible to determine if the hemorrhage is due to accidental fall, homicidal violence, etc.

Medical examiner

is a medically qualified forensic pathologist and government official whose duty is to investigate deaths and injuries that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictions to initiate inquests.

Medicolegal Autopsy

a medicolegal autopsy is done with the possibility of litigation in mind. The autopsy is designed to determine the cause of death, properly document findings, and collect evidence. A primary objective is to try to reconstruct the circumstances and events that led to the death so that a mode (natural, accident, suicide, homicide, or undetermined) can be established. A medicolegal autopsy differs from a hospital autopsy. A hospital autopsy is designed to confirm a known or suspected disease and gain further knowledge of the disease. The emphasis is placed on the gross and microscopic examination of internal organs. In a medicolegal autopsy the emphasis is shifted to the external examination and the description of external and associated internal injuries. Microscopic examination is done only when indicated. Information about identification of the remains, time of death, evidence of drug use, age of injuries, etc., becomes important and must be recorded carefully. It is imperative that findings be recorded clearly and objectively. Any forensic pathologist should be able to interpret the findings years later without difficulty. The forensic autopsy protocol must be standardized and reproducible.

Next of Kin

aNearest relative: if married, the spouse, if no spouse then adult children, or surviving parents, or blood relative, according to California State Law, unless otherwise specified in a legal document.

Toxicology

or postmortem (after death) toxicology analyzes biological specimens collected at autopsy for the presence of drugs, toxins, and poisons to help determine cause and manner of death.