Reporting a death in Seattle
Back on May 5, the West Seattle Blog reported on a death at the Roxbury Safeway, or, more specifically, a dead body at the Safeway, a woman who’d died elsewhere and was brought to the store by two men looking for a phone to report the death.
Reading this story it struck me that if I somehow came across someone who died, I’d have no idea whom to call. I’ve never been in the company of someone who’d passed away without also being in the company of someone who knew what to do. It dawned on me that I might not be the only one who was at a loss as to how to handle a death, so I turned to the Seattle Police Department for answers.
Per the helpful Lt. Jim Dermody, Homicide/Assault Commander, the best and most efficient way to report a death is to dial 911. You should tell the operator the situation and where you are and he or she will determine whether to send both the Police and the Fire Department. The SFD would definitely respond as it is their duty to attend to the medical needs of the person found or to determine that they are, in fact, deceased. If the person is definitely deceased, the SPD will then get involved to investigate what happened.
Should the details warrant, the Homicide/Assault Unit might be summoned as well. In any case, the King County Medical Examiner’s office would be called, as the KCME has jurisdiction over all bodies in King County under RCW 68.50.10, a law that specifies people in otherwise good health who die unexpectedly, people whose death appears to be caused by unnatural means, people whose death occurs in suspicious circumstances, people whose death occurs by violence, and so on. Simply put, if you find a dead body somewhere you weren’t expecting to find a dead body, the KCME is going to take charge of that body.
Hopefully, none of our readers is ever going to stumble across a body, but if you ever do, keep in mind that the law does require you to report it and now you know how. Just dial 911.
Co-incidentally, I found a dead person in Woodland Park last Saturday morning, and called 911. Seemed to be the obvious thing to do. I couldn’t even imagine touching the guy, let alone moving him.
Thankfully, I had a cellphone with me, and directed them to the park entrance and then went to meet them at the entrance.
Unless it was totally obvious that they were dead, I’d probably touch them long enough to see if they responded, but I can’t imagine moving a body, either.
How long did it take them to arrive once you’d called 911?
What an amazing coincidence– I found two dead bodies over the weekend. The first one was in the oleander bushes behind the 7-11 on 99. I didn’t have any change to call anyone, so I scrawled a sign with black Sharpie on a cardboard box top; but by the time I raised the necessary funds, I had forgotton about the body. So I just bought a microwave burrito and a Slurpie. Fortunately, the second one was in my apartment, and fortunately, now I know whom to call. As soon as I find my phone. I’m hungry now, I think I’ll walk to the 7-11.
Zee, I’ve emailed you directly, rather than post private details in a public forum.