Services Provided by the Island County Coroner’s Office

• Determination cause of death—how, why and by what means a person died in those cases within our jurisdiction 
• Determination of manner of death—we must categorize each death in one of the following manners:  natural, accident, suicide, homicide, or undetermined
• Identification of the decedent—through circumstantial and/or scientific means
• Location and notification of next of kin
• Custody of evidence and property found with the body
• Death certification
• Follow reporting procedures to various agencies
• Miscellaneous responsibilities:  identifying and handling human remains; returning Native American remains to the appropriate tribe; caring for indigent remains; discussing investigation results with next of kin, public awareness programs