Sonora, Ca — The Tuolumne County Sheriff´s Department will begin charging for coroner services related to the removal and storage of the deceased.
Sheriff/Coroner Investigators are called to approximately 400 deaths per year, and since the county does not have a coroner facility, the department has to contract with an outside provider.
Due to current fiscal challenges, the Sheriff´s Department says that some of the costs will now have to be absorbed by the families.
Exceptions to paying the charge will be made if the decedent is under the age of 14, if the person dies at the hands of another, or if the next of kin cannot afford the fee. A typical bill will range from $150-250.
The decision to require a fee has been approved by the Board of Supervisors.
Written by BJ Hansen
This post was last modified on 01/31/2009 1:37 pm