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Riverside County Sheriff / Coroner's Bureau
Deputy Coroner (Coroner's Investigators) usually start their investigation with the dead body and work backwards to ascertain how and why death occurred. The forensic staff (Coroner Technicians and Forensic Pathologists) start with the body and work forward to retrieve any information from the body that will aid in establishing the means and mode of death, as well as identification of the remains.
The forensic center is where each death under the Coroner's jurisdiction gets a thorough examination. The receiving process includes undressing, weighing, obtaining an ID photograph, obtaining fingerprints and documenting property. The Coroner Technician will obtain X-rays of all homicide deaths, infant/child deaths, all burn deaths, decomposed remains and others as needed. The X-rays are processed in-house and are available minutes later for examination by the pathologist (looking for projectiles or fractures, etc.). Depending on the circumstances of the death, the deceased is then placed in one of three refrigeration units: the main cooler (41 degrees F.), the decomposed body freezer (30 degrees F.), or the contagious cooler (41 degrees F.). A decomposed body is one that had been dead for a period of time and/or exposed to the elements and deep refrigeration will retard the decomposition process.
If the death is unexpected or due to violence or if the attending physician cannot provide a reasonable cause of death, either a full autopsy or an external examination is performed by a Forensic Pathologist. A full autopsy will examine the body and all internal organs. A consultation will review the medical history of the decedent, examine the external body to rule out injury or unusual circumstances, and provide a cause of death.
Homicide autopsies are done in a special room, which is designed to limit access and protect any evidence recovered. A viewing area is provided for law enforcement in attendance. The Forensic Pathologist will open the body and remove and weigh the organs and complete the examination. Each portion of the autopsy is photographed and findings are documented for later use in court. Each injury is photographed, measured, probed and numbered. Sometimes, with multiple injuries, the autopsy can last several hours or days. Normally, a complete autopsy will take between 45 minutes and 2 hours to complete, depending on the circumstances.
The Coroner Technician will recover a sample of body fluid (blood, urine, etc.) for possible toxicological testing and prepare specimen slides for microscopic examination by the pathologists. Following the autopsy, the Coroner Technician will suture or close the body and prepare it for release to whichever mortuary the family has selected.
The doctors do not take their position lightly. They know that their reports can, in many cases, provide the evidence to lock up a suspect or set one free. They know that what information they find during an autopsy may be of value to family members faced with the same disease. Also, insurance companies and attorneys may question their findings. They are aware that their thorough and open-minded search during the examination will serve the Sheriff-Coroner and the community they live in.
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