Please contact the funeral home directly and make sure you have a copy of the DD214.

An autopsy is the scientific postmortem examination of the body of a deceased person performed to determine the cause and manner of death, usually for medicolegal purposes. Autopsies are performed on decedents whose deaths affect the public interest. This postmortem examination may include the least invasive to most invasive methods based on the expertise and judgment of the forensic pathologist handling the case. Least invasive methods include, but are not limited to, external examination without the dissection of the body except that which is necessary for the procurement of blood or bodily fluids for toxicological or other analysis. Most invasive methods include, but are not limited to, dissection of the dead body and the examination of bone, tissue, organs, and foreign objects.

State law mandates that an autopsy must be performed on the following types of deaths: (1) children under the age of (2) years where death results from an unknown cause or where circumstances surrounding the death indicate a Sudden Unexplained Infant death, and (2) all persons whose deaths occur while they are confined in a prison, jail or correctional institution. However, an autopsy should be performed in the case of any death where the circumstances are sudden, unexpected, violent, suspicious or unattended. An autopsy can confirm natural disease, or help reconstruct an individual’s final moments if death has resulted from physical injury. A postmortem examination and its ancillary studies can also provide information leading to the positive identification of unidentified persons.

Once the postmortem examination has been completed and the family has advised the county medical examiner investigator of their wishes for final disposition, the body will be released. This is usually to the designated mortuary or funeral service or county medical examiner investigator. The State Medical Examiner’s Office will not release decedents until the county medical examiner investigator has provided us with the name of the funeral home handling the case. If our office is responsible for identifying a decedent, we will not release the body until positive identification has been confirmed.

The classifications are natural, accident, suicide, homicide, undetermined, and pending. Only medical examiner’s and coroners may use all of the manners of death. Other certifiers must use natural or refer the death to the medical examiner. The manner of death is determined by the medical examiner.

Normally we try to release the decedent to a funeral home within two to three days. Depending on the circumstances of the death, and confirming identification, sometimes it is necessary to keep the remains longer.

In some cases, reports are provided to family members or legal next of kin for free. However, in some cases, offices will charge a fee to obtain an autopsy report.