Montgomery County Coroner Dr. Janine Darby, M.D. (Image courtesy of Montgomery County)
Learn what all the coroner does for a county with our next edition of Managing Montco.
We hope you are both enjoying and learning something from our exploration of Managing Montco. Each day, we aim to take a deeper dive into a role of a department within the county. We want to help you understand who that person is, what they do for the county, and what they can do to help you.
We are breaking down the roles of the nine departments known as “Row Officers.” And next on our list (only by an alphabetical sorting, of course) is the Coroner.
If you watch as much true crime as I do, you’ve probably heard of our next role, who serves all of Montgomery County in her duties. While the term “coroner” is far more common of a word than some of our fellow Row Officers, there can still be aspects of the job you’re unaware of and can better understand.
What does a coroner do?
With its plethora of television dramas, many watchers may have some idea of what a coroner and his or her office does for the county.
The Montgomery County Coroner's Office (MCCO) is “committed to deliver high quality professional forensic and laboratory services to the citizens of Montgomery County,” said the site of our current Coroner, Dr. Janine Darby, M.D.
“Our staff supports our obligation to investigate sudden, unnatural, and violent deaths with compassion for family and friends during their time of grief,” said Darby on her county page. “MCCO operates pursuant to Commonwealth of Pennsylvania law.”
A County’s Coroner’s Office must investigate a death, and declare someone dead, if the cause of death is not by a natural disease or cannot be properly certified by a licensed state physician, on the basis of prior medical attendance.
Additionally, the Coroner is responsible for establishing the “cause and manner of death.” Should any body be found in Montgomery County or should authorities discover someone deceased at the scene of an incident, it is the Coroner who must utilize science, forensics, and experience to determine how they’ve died.
“MCCO applies current scientific methods for evidence analysis and investigations to effectively assist law enforcement, judicial court systems, and health and environmental agencies,” said Darby. “A variety of modern medicolegal investigative techniques, including an autopsy, when indicated, to establish the medical cause of death and the medicolegal manner of death.”
The cause of a death may be filed as one of the following categories:
When the precise cause of death is unclear, the Coroner must investigate various death scenarios.
“The decedent is brought to our office, by our staff, when an examination is indicated,” explained Darby. “The decision of whether an autopsy will be performed is made by a board-certified forensic pathologist.”
Darby said that some examples of deaths that are brought to her office include:
1. Overt criminal violence or suggestion of violence in any form;
2. Homicides, by any means;
3. Accidents by any means ;
4. Suicides by any means;
5. Sudden deaths of apparently healthy persons who are not under the care of a PA licensed physician;
6. Unidentified or unidentifiable persons or when the next of kin is unknown or may not be available;
7. Death in a public facility, i.e. correctional or psychiatric facility; or
8. Any suspicious, unusual or questionable death.
What records does the Coroner’s Office handle?
Many of the documents a coroner is responsible for are a matter of public record. This means, if a member of the public requests such a file, this office must provide it.
There is a fee for documents, which is structured as follows:
The cause and manner of a death can be available without a charge, and are a matter of public record, available at the office directly.
How do I request a document from the coroner?
In Montgomery County, the coroner responds to requests by mail, fax, or email. A brief explanation stating your reason for the request must accompany your personal contact information. After your request is reviewed, the coroner sends an invoice for any necessary fees.
Once an invoice is paid, the document will be sent to the requestor. To reach the Montgomery County Coroner, members of the public may try:
By Mail: Montgomery County Coroner’s Office
P.O. Box 311
Norristown, PA 19404
By Fax at: (610) 278-3547
By Email at: CoronerRequests@montcopa.org
What if I am next-of-kin?
Those that are the legal next-of-kin that may wish to review reports pertaining to the loss of a loved one may make an appointment with the Coroner’s Office. At that time, at the availability of the staffing there, a member of the office staff will review the reports with you, to help you to understand the investigation and its conclusion.
Records will be reviewed at the Coroner’s Office, 56 Eagleville Road, in Eagleville, Pa., 19403 (Lower Providence Township). To make an appointment, please call 610-278-3057.
The coroner does not release reports to “other agencies,” such as third parties, police, medical or hospital records, etc. An individual would need to contact that entity directly for assistance.
Where can I see the coroner’s annual report?
Full annual reports for the year prior (and older) are available online here.
The hours of the Coroner’s Office include Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
What happens to abandoned or unclaimed bodies?
A list of unclaimed or abandoned bodies has been created and stays current on the Coroner’s website here. The name, case number, date of death, age at the time of death, date of cremation, location of residence, and the death location are all included on the updated spreadsheet.
Can I be a Coroner Intern?
Actually, yes, the MCCO does select both undergraduate and graduate students to serve as interns. These students work alongside board-certified forensic pathologists. Typically the role will be served by a student in the major focus of forensic science, pathology, medicolegal death investigation, criminology/criminal justice, or any closely related field major. More information on the process and role is online here.
