In a suspicious death in a home, what are the procedures for the state police and the coroner when body is found, and while at the morgue?
Whenever I get dispatched to what we call an unattended death I look over the scene, talk to witnesses and try to get a medical history of the deceased. The county coroner is always called out. If there is anything that indicates something suspicious detectives are called out and a crime scene is set-up. At that point it moves into a homicide investigation. If the call moves into being a homicide investigation the body will stay at the scene for as long as necessary. There will be an autopsy.If there is nothing suspicious the coroner will take over the scene, the funeral home will be called to remove the body and I will clear the scene. However I will still do a formal report and I will have photos to put into evidence - just in case something should arise later on that shows us the death wasn't as natural as first believed.If the deceased is under hospice care the police are not called when the patient passes away. The deceased was under medical care so it is not an unattended death.We will almost always start out with a homicide investigation if the deceased is an infant, young child or somebody in their teens or twenties - unless they had been diagnosed with a terminal illness such as pancreatic cancer, bad heart, brain tumor etc and were being treated for it.As I have written in the past these things are really a case by case basis.
What are gift ideas for a teenaged girl who's dying of cancer?
I have noticed, having watched loved ones die from terminal illnesses, that the little things mean a lot more than you might think. Milkshakes seem to be a beloved treat. If she can eat comfortably, her favorite foods. Be around as much as you can- no one wants to be alone when they are dying, and just holding her hand and hugging her may bring more comfort than you realize. If she can still get out and about, make sure she does, and make sure she feels beautiful instead of sick. If she's always worn makeup, for example, encourage her to get ready to go out like she normally would. Organize a get together with her friends, as long as she feels comfortable with it. I guess I'm trying to say, keep in mind that she is dying, but she is not dead yet.As far as tangible gifts, I would say art supplies. Get the good quality paints, some small blank canvases, a beautiful sketchbook and drawing pens and pencils. If she can take an art class at a community center, take one with her. They often have ceramics, which is a wonderfully tactile form of expression, in addition to basic painting and drawing classes. If she has always wanted to play an instrument, you could get her some lessons for that. Different forms of art allow for both an expression of feelings and a distraction. I hope this helps. The biggest thing you can do for her is to be there whenever you can, show your love and make her laugh.