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The Coroner is a
Constitutional Officer mandated by law to serve the people in its
respective county. The Coroner’s office directs and implements the
investigation of deaths occurring within jurisdiction in accordance with
the law of conducting pathological and toxicological analyses and
investigating circumstances of deaths in order to determine if a case
is a natural, homicide, accidental, suicide or unexplained death. The
Coroner, or Deputy Coroner, is on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Office of the
Coroner investigates all suspicious and violent deaths as well as any
deaths occurring at a hospital, nursing home or under Hospice care at a
personal residence. Additionally, the Coroner must investigate any death
occurring less than 24 hours after a patient is admitted to a hospital
and all hospital emergency room deaths. As well as properly dispose of
all unclaimed bodies and handle the burial of the same.
The Coroner is to
cooperate with various professionals such as physicians, pathologists,
medical personnel, other coroners, law enforcement personnel, etc. as
necessary in determining causes of death. This includes independent
judgment and discretion in making decisions regarding deaths including,
but not limited to, determining when autopsies are performed, what
toxicology to perform and utilize appropriate tools for the excavation
and exhumation of death victims, as necessary.
When multiple
investigating agencies are involved, the coroner coordinates these
investigating agencies. The Coroner is responsible for seeing that all
evidence at death scenes are preserved and those personal belongings of
the deceased are safeguarded and returned to the families. Death
notifications are done in person if possible. The Coroner notifies
relatives and loved ones of the death. At times, he allows Chaplains or
authorized military personnel to notify next-of-kin concerning a
Dorchester County Death. The Chaplain or military personnel notifies the
Coroner when the notification has been completed. The Coroner controls
the releasing of names of the decedents to the news media in order to
protect the next-of-kin’s rights.
The Coroner is
responsible for completing various seminars and meetings in order to
complete administrative tasks, such as reviewing various reports and
completing various records and reports, as necessary, in the accurate
documentation of death. These records or reports include, but are not
limited to, death certificates, ensuring that all information is
recorded accurately, case reports, Coroner’s reports, burial and removal
permits, witness’ statements and inquiries from DEHEC. Also, the Coroner
must keep abreast of all new information, laws and policies in order to
testify at inquests, hearings and court trials as needed.
The Coroner welcomes
the opportunity to talk with school assemblies and civic groups in order
to promote all of the above. He makes himself available to all residents
of Dorchester County he is elected to serve. The Coroner’s Office serves
approximately 115,000 people within an area of about 585 square miles.
Citizens of Dorchester
County are invited to visit your Dorchester County Coroner’s Office any
time you are near the Law Enforcement Complex in Summerville, South
Carolina. If for any reason a Dorchester County Citizen is unable to
visit the office personally to discuss a private matter, please
telephone the office and the Coroner or one of his deputies will visit you. Due to the size of
Dorchester County, and to provide each citizen access to the coroner’s
office, the Coroner can hold announced meetings in each section of the
county to receive your comments on how the Coroner’s Office can better
serve you, if necessary. [
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