When the police find a dead body, or when a seemingly healthy person suddenly dies, the local coroner is notified. Coroners are death investigators. It is their job to uncover the truth about untimely deaths, whether they seem to be natural, accidental, or criminal in nature.
Death investigations in Canada are regulated at the provincial level, so the role of coroners is slightly different in each province. However, these investigators are usually appointed officials who are medical doctors by training (though in some areas this is not a requirement). In some regions death investigators go by other titles, such as medical examiners or forensic pathologists, and these professionals do have to be medical doctors. But, despite these differences, the roles of death investigators across the country are essentially the same.
With each death they investigate, coroners have to be able to answer five key questions: who is the deceased, when did she or he die, how did he or she die, by what means did death occur, and where did it occur?
The first step in the investigation is a medical exam of the dead body, called an autopsy or post mortem exam. Sometimes this exam is conducted on the coroner’s behalf by a pathologist. An autopsy is a thorough examination of the body. It involves some dissection and the performance of a number of tests on tissue (such as skin, hair, or internal organs) removed from the body. The goal is to get a full understanding of the cause of death. The pathologist then creates a detailed report. In some areas, coroners may be responsible for the autopsy themselves.
The coroner weighs the results of the autopsy with other pertinent findings, such as those provided by the deceased’s health records or a police investigation. If more information is needed, the coroner can interview people who were present at the time of death, request more tests be carried out on the body, or order further investigations by the police. Once all of the facts are gathered, the coroner will produce and file a report, which outlines the official cause of death and answers as many of the five key questions as possible. The coroner may also have to testify about his or her findings in court.
In some regions coroners have the power to call inquests in order to establish all of the facts of a case. An inquest operates somewhat like a court. Presided over by the coroner, witnesses and experts are called to the inquest to testify before a jury. Afterwards, the coroner ensures that all of the appropriate public agencies and officials are notified of the inquest’s findings. This power is rarely exercised by coroners, and mostly in matters relating to public health, such as a tainted water supply.
NOC Code: 4165