Please assure the families that their loved one is being examined with utmost care and respect. Usually our examinations can be completed and remains made ready for release within 24 hours. Exceptions may occur if the death falls on a weekend or if identification becomes an issue. Regardless of the circumstances, the Medical Examiner's Office will work diligently to release their loved one as soon as possible. We recommend you keep a supply of our tri-fold brochure on hand to give to families. It addresses concerns and questions that family’s have about why the Medical Examiner is involved in the death of their loved one. Copies are available to you free from the Medical Examiners. The same information can be found on this website here.
Release Hours
Currently, our body release hours are 7AM – 6PM daily, including weekends and major holidays.
Order For Release
This document can accomplish several things - primarily release of the remains to your facility - and requires a valid signature/initial from the legal next of kin. In addition, with correct initials, your facility may pick up property for the family and be responsible for Medical Examiner’s fees associated with transportation of the deceased (currently $173). When fully used the Order For Release can be extremely helpful to the families we serve.
Embalming
The primary function of our Forensic Autopsy Assistants is assisting our board certified forensic pathologists in the performance of autopsies. However, we do offer embalming services. Currently our charge for embalming is $236. The extra service of embalming will be done at the discretion of the Autopsy Room Supervisor or the Senior Forensic Autopsy Assistant.
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