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County Coroner's Office
The Coroner is responsible for reporting all County deaths and performing a full investigation, with the exception
of hospice and natural cause hospital deaths (minimum of 24 hour stay at the hospital).
All other deaths, including nursing home and emergency room deaths, must be reported
and/or investigated by the coroner.
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Some of the Coroner's duties include:
- Determine the time, cause, manner of death.
- Perform investigations
- Draw fluid samples from, photograph, diagram, inventory,
and inspect the body for evidence, property, and injuries
that may not have been discovered at the scene. (The
Coroner does not do autopsies)
- Report deaths to all appropriate agencies (Local, State, and
Federal).
- Maintain all records, reports, and photos from
investigations.
- Maintain statistical data concerning deaths in the county.
- Provide a safety net for EMS, facilities, families, and
physicians by insuring that proper/adequate care was given at
the time of event or injury.
- Provide support to the medical examiner by obtaining
reports, medical records, scene condition, and post mortem
conditions of the body to determine the time and date of
death.
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If a death occurs outside of a medical facility,
you need to contact Benton County Central Communications (Cencom)
at 479-273-5532 (press "1" for proper death
notification). If the death occurred in a home, a police
officer and coroner will be sent to the residence.
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