Frequent Questions
What are your business hours?
Do I make complaints to your office about a
doctor I am having trouble with?
What is an autopsy?
When will an autopsy be necessary?
How long does an autopsy take?
Does the family pay for any medical investigator
services?
What if objections to the autopsies are raised?
Are tests for drugs and alcohol performed?
Can a medical investigator case still be an organ
or tissue donor?
What if no one claims the body?
When will the body be released?
How can a family have the body released directly
to them?
Can we view the body? Do I have to ID my loved one's
body?
What happens to the clothing and personal
items?
Does the Office of the Medical Investigator ever
keep parts of the body?
Are there grief-counseling services available?
What kinds of reports are produced?
How soon are reports available?
Who can get copies of the reports?
How is the death certificate obtained?
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What are your business hours?
The Office of the Medical Investigator administration is open 8
am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. Parking is limited and permits are
required, please inquire when you arrive.
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Do I make complaints to your office about a doctor I am having
trouble with?
No. The New Mexico Medical Board is responsible for complaints
regarding family physcians, please visit their website:http://www.nmmb.state.nm.us/.
If you have a complaint about our staff please feel free to contact
us at 505-272-3053.
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What is an autopsy?
An autopsy is a dignified surgical procedure, which provides a
systematic examination of the body of a deceased person by a
qualified physician. The body is inspected for the presence of
disease or injury, and minimal specimens of the vital organs and/or
body fluids may be taken for toxicological and other analysis. The
internal organs and the brain will be examined, then replaced in the
body for burial.
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When will an autopsy be necessary?
In about one third of the cases investigated by the Medical
Investigator an autopsy will be required. The primary concern is to
determine whether death resulted from disease, from injury, or from
a combination of disease and injury. When death results from
physical injuries, the autopsy frequently provides a means to
reconstruct the fatal episode. The autopsy also serves to provide
information in the case of unidentified persons. To see a detailed
list please see:
Reportable
Deaths
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Does the family pay for any medical investigator services?
For cases that fall under OMI jursidiction (please see:
Reportable
Deaths), families pay nothing for Medical Investigator services
or for the transportation to Albuquerque for autopsy. This also
includes grief services. Families may be billed for the
transportation to the funeral home they select. Consultation
Autopsies can also be requested at the expense of the requestor, for
more information please see:
Consult Autopsy
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How long does an autopsy take?
A standard forensic autopsy will take two to three hours.
Complicated medical cases or cases of traumatic deaths with multiple
injuries can take longer in order to fully document all
observations. All autopsies in New Mexico are done at the Medical
Investigator facility at the University of New Mexico School of
Medicine in Albuquerque. The time involved in transporting cases to
and from Albuquerque must be considered when funeral services are
planned.
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What if objections to the autopsies are raised?
When family members object to an autopsy based upon religious,
cultural or other beliefs, every effort to honor that objection will
be made. However, if the public responsibility cannot be fulfilled
without performing the autopsy, the family will be provided an
opportunity to be represented by legal counsel and to have their
objection presented to a judge before the autopsy is performed,
whenever possible.
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Are tests for drugs and alcohol performed?
In all cases investigated by the Medical Investigator, including
those where autopsies are not conducted, fluids are taken for
toxicological tests. The results of the tests are often important
factors in being able to determine a cause and manner of the death,
and in providing motives and explanation for behaviors. In New
Mexico, these tests are performed at the State Laboratory in
Albuquerque, as well as other contracted laboratories.
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Can a medical investigator case still be an organ or tissue donor?
Yes. Once family members have expressed interest, the Lions Eye
Bank and New Mexico Donor Program coordinators work closely with the
Medical Investigator, and will review the appropriateness of the
organ harvest with the Medical Investigator before allowing family
members to formally consent to the donation. Procedures to obtain
organs and tissues are done within hospital operating rooms, and not
at the Medical Investigator's office. Being the victim of a homicide
or other traumatic death does not preclude being a donor. All cases
for organ donation require family consent.
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What if no one claims the body?
The law provides for burial or cremation when no relative claims
the body. These matters are handled through the county finance
office in the county where the individual resided or if the
residence is unknown, the county where the death occurred.
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When will the body be released?
Once the examination is complete, and a family has designated an
arrangement for burial or cremation, the body will be released. This
is usually to a mortuary or cremation service, but can be directly
released to the family. Family members must instruct the funeral
home to call the Office of the Medical Investigator for release of
the body.
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How can a family have the body released directly to them?
In New Mexico, family members can transport deceased family
members and can conduct burials on private lands. Refrigeration,
embalming or burial must take place within 24 hours of death, and
restrictions exist on where burials may take place. The Office of
the Medical Investigator can assist with these questions.
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Can we view the body? Do I have to ID my loved one's body?
No. The OMI building does not have facilities to view bodies.
Please contact the funeral home if you wish to view the body. If
identification is required, or if your loved one is missing please
contact Investigations at 505-272-0711.
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What happens to the clothing and personal items?
All clothing and personal items held by the Office of the Medical
Investigator will be released with the body to the funeral home or
crematory, unless it is identified as evidence. Any item identified
as evidence will be turned over to the investigating law enforcement
agency. For questions regarding these items please contact
Investigations at 505-272-0711.
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Does the Office of the Medical Investigator ever keep parts of the
body?
In certain instances, the Office of the Medical Investigator may
retain varying amounts of tissue including whole organs after the
body has been released if the tissue is needed for diagnostic
purposes.
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Are there grief-counseling services available?
Licensed therapists are available to support you and your family
at no charge. The
Grief Services program of the Office of the Medical Investigator
can provide short-term counseling and referral to on-going peer
support groups or longer-term counseling.
A SPECIAL MESSAGE TO FAMILY MEMBERS
The Office of the Medical Investigator is required by law to be
involved in the investigations described above. It is important
that you realize our agency has made its own commitment to you to
assist in whatever way we can during the difficult times that will
follow the death of a loved one. Our primary mission is to provide
you with accurate and timely information about the condition of
the death, in order that you can understand what happened and
share it with other family members and friends. Our commitment to
you has led to the creation of special grief counseling services.
Licensed clinicians are available to talk to you, particularly if
the death has been a child. You can access grief-counseling
services through our regular number 505-925-9501.
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What kinds of reports are produced?
The Office of the Medical Investigator produces three reports:
the autopsy report (or external examination report), the report of
findings, and the toxicology report. Although the Medical
Investigator signs the death certificate, the document is finalized
and distributed through the New Mexico Vital Records and Health
Statistics.
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How soon are reports available?
The report of finding is a one-page report that contains the
information listed on the death certificate. It is normally
available 10 working days after the death certificate is released to
the funeral home. The autopsy and toxicology reports may take up to
12 weeks before being released. However, every case is unique and it
may take longer to complete the necessary reports. To request
reports please see:
Request
Reports
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Who can get copies of the reports?
Documents are provided to law enforcement, the district attorney,
special government agencies, and the hospital providing treatment at
the time of death. A copy of the autopsy report, report of findings,
and toxicology reports will be provided at not cost to the next of
kin upon request. For specific information on fees for reports see:
Request
Reports.
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How is the death certificate obtained?
The death certificate is filed with the New Mexico Vital Records
and Health Statistics office by the funeral home or crematory
handling the arrangements. Usually the funeral home or crematory
will provide copies, however copies of the death certificates can be
obtained by the next of kin for a non-refundable fee by contacting:
The New Mexico Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics
P. O. Box 26110
Santa Fe, NM 87502
Phone Number: 505-827-0121
New Mexico Crime Scene Cleanup Bio Recovery
Services
Most crime and trauma
scene cleanup companies provide bio recovery and
decontamination services for crime and trauma
situations including homicide, assault, rape, robbery, suicide,
auto accidents, work related accidents, unattended death,
natural death, human decomposition, death odor, meth lab cleanup
and hazardous waste removal.
These services are available for homeowners, apartments,
business owners, property management companies, shopping malls,
mass transportation services, health departments, school boards,
colleges, local, state, and federal agencies.
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