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1001 - Identification

1001.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

Establishing a decedent's identification is a core duty of the Coroner established in Government Code 27491. The purpose of this policy is to provide rules and guidelines to members of the Coroner Division for establishing the identity of a decedent.

1001.2 PROMPT IDENTIFICATION

Accurate identification of a decedent shall be established at the onset of the death investigation or as soon as possible thereafter.

1001.3 METHODS OF IDENTIFICATION

Decedents falling under the jurisdiction of the Coroner Division shall be identified by one of the following means, each of which is explained more fully herein:

  • Visual identification
  • Fingerprint search or comparison
  • Dental comparison
  • DNA search or comparison
  • Circumstantial evidence

1001.4 VISUAL IDENTIFICATION

Establishing the identity of a decedent by visual identification is permissible only when the facial features are not distorted by trauma, decomposition, thermal injury, or other factors that may change his or her appearance. Such visual identification may be performed by:

  • Source of Information
  1. The source of information will preferably be the most immediate relative to the decedent available at the time of the Deputy Coroner's body examination.
  2. If an immediate relative is unavailable, the source of information must have had qualified knowledge of the decedent during life.
  • The responsibility to determine "qualified knowledge" likes with the Deputy Coroner.
  • When the source of information is a non-immediate relative, the relation to and length of association with the decedent shall be documented in the Coroner Investigator's written report.
  1. The source of information must view the decedent's face to confirm identification.
  • The viewing shall be performed in person at the death location, or via a clear facial photograph taken by the Deputy Coroner and shown to a source of information at the Coroner Division Facility.
  1. The Deputy Coroner shall make every effort to minimize the appearance of blood, injury, or other facial distortion prior to taking the photograph.
  2. The shown photograph shall be approved by the Coroner prior to the source of information's viewing.
  3. Visual identification shall not be accepted from a source of information suffering from obvious intoxication, developmental delay, or other condition causing the Deputy Coroner to have reasonable doubt in his/her ability to make an accurate visual identification.
  • Photograph Identification
  1. Identification via photograph comparison is permitted only by using an official government photo.
  • Authorized government photos include a state driver's license or identification card, passport, or immigration or military identification card.
  • Using any other photos (example: a minor's school identification card, a college identification card) for photograph identification shall be approved by the Coroner.
  1. Identification via photograph comparison shall be performed only by the Deputy Coroner performing the body examination.
  • The Deputy Coroner shall not delegate the duty of identifying the deceased via photograph comparison to a law enforcement officer or medical personnel.
  • A name obtained by law enforcement and/or medical personnel may be accepted as a tentative identification only and shall be confirmed by the Deputy Coroner via some other method.
  • The Deputy Coroner shall personally examine the deceased and make the comparison to the photo identification. Under no circumstances will a Deputy Coroner rely on photographs of the deceased provided remotely (example: email, text message) by law enforcement or medical personnel as the basis to compare the photo identification.
  1. If the Deputy Coroner has any level of uncertainty when performing a visual photograph comparison to establish a decedent's identity, he/she shall treat that decedent as an unidentified person until identification is confirmed by other means.

Fingerprint Identification

1001.5 FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION

All decedents processed at the Coroner Division Facility shall be fingerprinted. Live Scan shall be the preferred method of fingerprinting whenever possible.

1001.5.1 EXCEPTIONS TO FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION

There are few exceptions to the requirement that all decedents processed at the Coroner Division facility shall be fingerprinted. These include:

  • Bones and specimens
  • Fetuses
  • Children under age 7.
  1. In lieu of fingerprints, foot prints shall be taken on all children under age 7.
  • Decedents with poor fingerprint detail due to trauma, thermal injury, or decomposition.
  1. The Deputy Coroner processing the decedent may use his/her discretion when evaluating a case for the presence of quality ridge detail.
  2. The Deputy Coroner shall notify the Coroner if he/she is unable to obtain fingerprints for any reason.

1001.5.2 SUBMISSION TO CAL-ID

All fingerprints shall be submitted to CAL DOJ and the FBI for search or comparison. This submission shall be performed electronically via department approved software. Any confirmation received as a result of fingerprint submissions shall be retained in the case file.

Dental ID

1001.6 DENTAL IDENTIFICATION

Dental comparison should be performed on all decedents not identifiable by visual, photograph, or fingerprint identification. The Deputy Coroner shall be responsible for locating and retrieving a decedent's antemortem dental x-rays and submitting said dental x-rays to the contracted Odontologist along with post mortem x-rays necessary to perform the comparison.

Medical Appliance ID

1001.7 MEDICAL APPLIANCE IDENTIFICATION

Identification via medical appliance comparison may be performed on all decedents who possess a serialized medical implant and are not identifiable by other methods outlined in this policy. The Deputy Coroner shall be responsible for locating and retrieving a decedent's ante-mortem x-rays and other medical records and comparing such records. The Deputy Coroner shall take x-rays of the decedent and/or arrange removal the appliance for comparison. The Deputy Coroner should enlist the assistance of the contract pathologist as he/she deems necessary. Identification via medical appliance should be approved by the Coroner.

DNA ID

1001.8 DNA IDENTIFICATION

DNA search or comparison shall be performed on all decedents not identifiable by visual, photograph, fingerprint, or dental identification. The Deputy Coroner shall be responsible for obtaining a comparison sample, when available, and submitting the sample along with required paperwork to the Department of Justice or other designated facility. The Deputy Coroner shall be responsible for obtaining sample(s) from the decedent and submitting to the proper agency for DNA search or comparison.

Circumstantial ID

1001.9 CIRCUMSTANTIAL IDENTIFICATION

On rare occasions, and when efforts to identify a decedent by other means are either not possible or have yielded inconclusive results, circumstantial identification may be employed. The Coroner or his/her designee shall approve any identification made by circumstances alone.

1001.10 DOCUMENTATION

The following information shall be documented in the records management system once positive identification is complete:

  • The name of the person performing the identification
  • The relationship of the identifying party to the decedent
  • The method used to achieve the identification
  • The date identification was complete Unacceptable ID Methods

1001.11 UNACCEPTABLE IDENTIFICATION METHODS

The Deputy Coroner shall not accept a decedent's self-reported name as positive identification, without confirming the name by other acceptable methods as outlined in this policy.

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