Mission Statement and Summary of Responsibilities

It is the mission of the Sheboygan County Medical Examiner’s Office to provide professional death investigation into the deaths reportable to the Sheboygan County Medical Examiner’s Office as it is applicable to the Wisconsin State Statutes and make a determination into the cause and manner of death.

The Medical Examiner’s office investigates deaths in Sheboygan County that are reportable under Wisconsin Statutes 30.67, 346.71, 350, 155, 979.01 & 979.025.

Reasons for a Medical Examiner’s investigation would include:

• Homicides
• Suicides
• Deaths following an accident or injury
• Deaths due to poisoning
• Deaths following abortion
• Deaths involving a motor vehicle, snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle or boat
• Deaths with no physician in attendance in the past thirty days
• Deaths of correctional inmates
• Deaths when after a reasonable time a physician cannot or will not sign the death certificate or in an emergency situation
• Deaths with unexplained, unusual or suspicious circumstances (including sudden unexplained death at any age)
• Deaths reportable under individual County Coroner/Medical Examiner policies

The investigation process includes but is not limited to:

• Visual & physical examination of the deceased and the surroundings
• The pronouncement or confirmation of the death of an individual
• Establishing the date and time of death
• Review of medication present and usage
• Review of medical history
• Identifying any recent changes in health or physical conditions
• Obtaining information by speaking with family members, nursing staff, physicians, neighbors, witnesses, and law enforcement

In deaths where law enforcement is involved, it is a collaborative effort of sharing investigation findings and knowledge. In some death investigations, more information is needed before a cause and manner of death can be made. An autopsy may be done and toxicology studies may be required to determine what kind and how much of certain medication is present in a person’s system. X-rays may be taken to determine if there are broken bones or if any foreign objects are present and the location. There are other tests available for specific inquiries.

Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.

Acrobat Reader Windows Media Player Word Viewer Excel Viewer PowerPoint Viewer