How a Coroner investigates a death

Initial stage:

• The initial stage of a coroner’s investigation is assisted by the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine and includes: receiving a report about the death from the police, a doctor/hospital, or another reporting organisation;
• admitting the deceased person into the care of the Coroners Court;
• contacting the senior next of kin to inform them about the coronial process and to obtain more information about the deceased, as well as the family’s wishes with respect to the deceased’s post-mortem examination (for more information, see Fact Sheet 9: My loved one’s body and things); and
• requesting information about the preliminary medical examination of the deceased.