Shiloh County Medical Center - Coroners Office

[Z. Russo 11]

A medium sized outbuilding on the SCMC Campus near the utilities building. Aside from a small sign on the building and the vehicles outside this is an unassuming building with a few garage bays. Since there are no tunnels from the main building all transfers are done in coroners transport van.

[D. Chorzepa]

*It's getting late in the shift the desk phone rings.*

"Coroner. Investigator Chorpeza speaking."

"Hey its Aubrey at County medical ER. We have a pronouncement with no immediate family present. Can you please arrange transport to your facility?"

"Sure, Any special concerns?"

"No."

"Ok I have a van availible."

*I leave the bullpen and walk out to the small lounge.*

'Hey we got a pickup at ER coming back here.'

*I say to the two transport crew members watching TV.*

'Ok Got it.'

*They get up and return a half hour later. The older gentleman, Sam pops his head into my office.*

'Miss Danielle, The body is in exam 2 here's the paperwork.'

'Ok thank you.'

*I get the paperwork and start to take a look. This is going to be a nasty one. As I go to get up to begin the exam the phone rings again.*

'Hey is Aubrey again. So things got a little interesting and the family found out that EMS brought her here and they just got some pretty bad news. I directed them over to your office. They should be there in a little bit.'

'Oh god, this is wonderful.'

*I hear the buzzer ring for the outside door.*

'County coroner how can I help you?'

*I hear a woman crying.*

'You have my daughter in there. Her name is Abbey Andrews.'

*I look at the file on my desk and I see Abigail Andrews on the top of the folder.*

'Come in and have a seat I'll be out there in a moment.'

*I walk out to the waiting room and see a middle aged couple sitting there and crying. This isn't an unusual sight in the office but it feels so desolate tonight even though I have Sam and Kurt here with me.*

'Mrs Andrews, You guys can come with me.'

*I lead them back to my desk.*

'Who are you?'

'My name is Danielle, I'm an investigator with the coroners office. I didn't get too far into your daughters case but I did see that it was marked accidental by the doctor in the ER. So I can get you a interim certificate of death so if you want you can start making arrangements on your end. Do you have funeral home you would like to handle her services?'

'My neighbors niece is a funeral director. I think her name is Charlotte. I would like to use her if I can.'

*OK I'm pretty sure I know who that is since shes the only woman funeral director in the area*

'Alright I'm pretty sure I'm familiar with her.'

*I fill in the funeral directors info on the paperwork and feel me being stared out. Her father is looking at me I look up at him*

'Did she suffer?'

*He asks.*

'I'm really not that far into the case but it sounds like the initial blast knocked her unresponsive so there in my professional opinion I doubt it.'

*I hate lying to families but I'm not going to be the one to tell them her last hour or so was spent in agony between the facial burns and then CPR. I want to get them out off of my office before they ask more akward questions or worse to see the body.*

'Look, I like to keep these short and concise. I'll get in touch with the funeral director. If you have any questions feel free to give me a call. My office will have the report ready in about 2 weeks'