The Ada County Coroner’s Office is a county-funded, separate, and independent office of county government, which works closely with all government offices and departments. This office operates pursuant to Idaho State Statues with the primary obligations of investigation of death to determine the cause and manner of death, as well as locating and notifying the legal next of kin. The jurisdiction of coroner cases include deaths that result from an act of violence, whether apparently by homicide, suicide, or by accident; the death occurred under suspicious or unknown circumstances; stillborn children or any child if there is a reasonable articulable suspicion to believe that the death occurred without a known medical disease to account for the stillbirth or child’s death [or – violent or non-natural deaths of children under 18 years of age with no significant medical history]; and those deaths that are unattended by a primary care provider. All jurisdictional cases in Ada County, which covers nearly 1060 square miles, are investigated regardless of the residency of the deceased.
The coroner is primarily responsible for medicolegal death investigations and the certification of the cause and manner of death for Ada County cases. The coroner also manages the daily operations of the office and all its divisions. This position requires extensive expertise and experience in management and office administration as well as a comprehensive knowledge and experience in investigations.
We serve the living by working on behalf of the deceased to obtain the truth and circumstances of their death. The Ada County Coroner’s Office has five distinct divisions: Forensic Pathology, Administration, Forensics, Medicolegal Death Investigations, and Emergency Preparedness, employing over 30 individuals who are highly trained in their respective field. Ada County Coroner’s Office also provides forensic pathology services to 33 counties state-wide. The services to our community and beyond are to the highest industry standards, as evidenced by being one of only a handful of agencies in the country that are proudly accredited by both the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (IACME) and the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME).
The field of forensic pathology and medicolegal death investigation is a dynamic industry, which is constantly changing to meet the needs of the community and ever-changing technology and research and development. Ada County Coroner’s Office has been an industry leader in Idaho as we strive to maintain our accreditations and deliver top level services to our stakeholders.
Forensic Pathologists Division
The Pathology Division is comprised of three Board Certified Forensic Pathologists. The role of a Forensic Pathologist is to determine the cause and manner of death. The pathologists here at Ada County are all certified through the American Board of Pathology as Forensic Pathologist. These highly trained doctors also collectively hold certifications in anatomic pathology, clinical pathology, and neuropathology. Working as a team, the Forensic Pathology Division provides the highest level of knowledge, skill, and experience in their field and conduct over 700 autopsies of various levels per year. This includes the pathology services rendered to out of county coroners.
Administrative Division
Our Administrative Division ensures the efficiency of daily operations as well as taking on the responsibility of troubleshooting the numerous unique situations presented to the office. All divisions of the Ada County Coroner’s Office are supported by our administrative staff; in addition to multi-divisional support, they also manage record requests from the public as well as other entities, processing death certificate information and cremation authorizations, as well as coordinating our annual Remembering With Dignity Service. Managing these responsibilities and situations requires the ability to balance objectivity and empathy, while also possessing a deep understanding of medicolegal practices.
Forensics Division
The Forensics Division are highly trained subject matter experts. They specialize in the processing forensic autopsies by providing technical assistance to the Forensic Pathologist in diagnosing disease, trauma and determining cause and manner of death. In addition, the Forensic staff are responsible for forensic photography, specimen and evidence collection, chain of custody maintenance, and forensic radiography. They work closely with contracted counties, numerous law enforcement agencies, specialized labs, and funeral homes.
Medicolegal Death Investigations Division
The Medicolegal Death Investigations Division is staffed 24/7 every day of the year and responds to all deaths within Ada County that meet the jurisdictional guidelines set by Idaho State Statutes. Investigators respond to scenes to conduct investigations and determine if the death falls within the jurisdiction of the Ada County Coroner’s Office. Decedents are then transported to the office for further examination by the Forensics and Forensic Pathology Divisions. Investigators complete extensive reports, locate and notify legal next of kin and work closely with the families of the decedents as well as allied agencies including law enforcement, physicians and hospitals. All Investigations Staff are ABMDI certified (American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators) or are required to become certified within 2 years. ABMDI sets the highest national standards of practice for medicolegal death investigators.
Emergency Preparedness Division
The Emergency Preparedness Division aims to prepare for emergencies that affect our community in order to respond effectively and efficiently, while concurrently supporting grieving family members and contributing to the restoration of the Ada County community. By following industry standards and best practice recommendations in medicolegal emergency response from entities such as: the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME), the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (IACME), and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Academy Standards Board (ASB); the Ada County Coroner’s Office strives to offer the same level of service to the community and families of victims of a mass disaster, as it does during its day-to-day operations.