Sudden Death

Question 1

What is the primary role of the corner?

Answer 1

To determine cause of death

Question 2

If a corner directs, no postmortem to take place on a body, what must they send to Police in order to notify the decision?

Answer 2

They must send a COR 30 form

Question 3

If the corner issues, a COR 30 form what must the police documentation confirm?

Answer 3

The POL47 must outline the fact that police are satisfied that no suspicious circumstances or potential crimes have been identified.

Question 4

How quickly can a body be released to family after the decision is made not to conduct a postmortem

Answer 4

No earlier than 24 hours after the police have been notified of the decision.

Question 5

What is the most common method of body identification?

Answer 5

Visual

Question 6

What are the four other methods used when visual identification is not available?

Answer 6

1. Fingerprint.
2. Odontology.
3. DNA. (for comparison purposes.)
4. Circumstantial. (such as medical physical or property.) to be presented in a comparison report.

Question 7

What police team should be consulted if visual identification is not possible?

Answer 7

District DVI team

Question 8

Who must you keep informed of the steps that you take to identify the deceased?

Answer 8

NIIO

Duty coroners‘s office

Question 9

What is the procedure involved for non-visual identification?

Answer 9

1. Communicate with the family that they may not be able to see the deceased.

(if they still want to, advise the corner and provide coroners contact details to family)

2. Arrange for the body to be photographed and fingerprinted.
3. Built evidential case for circumstantial identification.

Fingerprints, medical exam, including scars, and birth marks, personal effects through false examination, such as letters, passport, license, dental records, anything of relevance at the address.

4. Complete pole 47 section.” recover recovery of bodies that are not visually identifiable.”

Include summary of non-visual identification

5. Prepare full description of body.
6. Ensure all clothing effects have been taken from body and not allowed to deteriorate.
7. Consider DNA comparison.

Question 10

Can a body be released prior to formal identification being made?

Answer 10

No

Question 11

What are the key principles of releasing information to the media regarding sudden deaths?

Answer 11

1. The corner must be advised of the police’s intention to release the deceased name.
2. Police should not draw conclusions on matters that I to be determined by the corner.
3. If the likely cause a death is considered necessary to release to progress and investigation, the corner should be informed.
4. Any release of information made and respect to a death that is being investigated solely for colonial purposes should be made in consultation with the corner.

Question 12

In some cases of homicide, police have to release a public statement on the general cause or circumstance of a death.

It is important that the statements do what?

Answer 12

It is important that the statements do not undermine a corners function.

But it should also address public concerns.

Question 13

Once a deceased has been formally identified, how quickly the police release the identity of the deceased?

Answer 13

Usually within 24 hours

Question 14

What should Police consider when engaging with family members regarding interaction with media?

Answer 14

1. Some investigations could be compromised by climate made to media by a deceased family or a witness.
2. Police should provide Family with accurate and helpful information about likely impact.
3. Family members must be clear on what can be made public and what can’t.
4. Police may work with certain family members and not others eg. estranged
5. General statements may be required sometimes to prevent speculation or incorrect information.

Question 15

Can details of a suicide be released?

Answer 15

Are the section 71 of the corners act, there was a restriction on making public the details of self-inflicted deaths.

Circumstances cannot be released without corner as authority

Information may be released if it is unlikely to be detrimental to public safety

Youth suicide as a concern due to the effect of vulnerable friends and peers.

Question 16

What are some examples of what Police cannot say?

Answer 16

Police should not make definitive statements about cause or fault:

Police are not at fault

The driver was at fault

Police are investigating the death of a person in a suspicious fire

Question 17

Police can highlight relevant factors if it helps raise awareness of a public safety issue. For example.:

Answer 17

The victim was equipped for the weather conditions

It appears that alcohol and speed were factor

The victim was not wearing a seatbelt