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Charles H. West is the 25th person to hold the position of Kane County Coroner.
The office operates on a 24-hour basis out of the Kane County Government Center, with a
professional staff. Inquests are held in the old Kane County Courthouse on South Third
Street in Geneva, Illinois.
The population of Kane County has grown tremendously in recent years, with violent deaths
far outpacing this growth. Death scene investigations have become more complex, meticulous
and more scientific than ever before.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Coroner's Office is responsible for determining the manner and the cause of death in
all cases of homicide, suicide, accident, in all cases where there was no recent attending
physician, or where circumstances surrounding the death are obscure or mysterious.
The responsibilities of the coroner are to see that the proper scientific studies are
performed. These include autopsy, toxicology, microscopic slide examinations,
bacteriology, X-rays, and whatever other studies are deemed to be appropriate and
necessary in each specific case.
The findings are then prepared in official fashion and made available to appropriate
people including family, attorneys, hospitals, physicians, courts, law enforcement
agencies, states attorneys, public defenders, and insurance companies. |
| The office of
Coroner was developed in England approximately 1100-1200 A.D. Coroners were originally
referred to as "crowners," the name given to those persons appointed by the
Crown to represent the King's interest in the investigation of violent, unexplained or
suspicious deaths. They were also responsible for the disposition of any personal or real
property that became available under the existing laws following a homicide or suicide.
The Latin word for crown is "corona," and hence, in later years, the name of the
office came to be called "Coroner." A coroner in Illinois is an elected official. The Coroner's Office
is a public office, and operates to serve the people of the county.
I want you, the citizens of Kane
County, to be aware of the duties and responsibilities of the Coroner.
We all hope that tragic and
unnecessary deaths may be reduced in our county through our mutual efforts. |
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