The Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office, as a guardian of the health, safety and welfare of the community, constantly strives toward the goal of a safer healthier community. The coroner is a constitutional office pursuant to the Constitution of Colorado. Colorado Revised Statute, 30-10-606, defines which deaths are reportable to the Coroner’s Office.

The following deaths are illustrative of those that are reportable under state statute, other deaths may be reportable on the basis of unforeseen circumstances.

Types of Deaths to Report

The following deaths are reportable to the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office:

• All patients that expire within 24 hours of admission
• All deaths in which the attending physician has not been in attendance of the decedent within 30 days prior must be reported to the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office
• All deaths resulting from an accident, suicide, homicide or undetermined cause and/or manner (e.g. fall, poisoning, drug related, industrial accident, automobile accident, automobile-pedestrian accident, suspected abuse, etc.)
• All deaths that occur in the emergency room, operating room or during or shortly following a medical procedure
• Deaths resulting from therapeutic procedures or possibly may be related to the procedure
• Deaths resulting from thermal, chemical or radiation injury
• All deaths in which the attending physician is unable or unwilling to certify the cause of death
• All deaths due to unexplained causes or under suspicious circumstances
• Deaths resulting from a disease which may be hazardous, contagious or may constitute a threat to public health; Chronic Hepatitis C is non-reportable
• Sudden death of a person in good health
• All deaths in which trauma may be associated with the death (e.g. fall with hip fracture, head injury or other trauma); cases where the patient entered the medical facility due to trauma; cases should be promptly reported even though the death may be attributed only indirectly to the trauma
• All deaths while in the custody of law enforcement officials or while incarcerated in a public institution
• All deaths resulting from criminal abortion, including any situation where such abortion may have been self-induced

Fetal/Infant Deaths

Any fetal or newborn death is reportable if any of the above may have resulted or possibly played a role in the demise / death. Examples of Reportable fetal / infant Deaths:

• The mother has a positive drug screen upon admittance into the hospital and has a fetal death.
• The mother was assaulted a few days prior to admittance.
• The mother was involved in a traffic accident, or any other traumatic event, shortly before labor begins.