Coroner's Office: The Cowlitz County Coroner's Office provides professional medicolegal death investigation services in determining the cause, manner, and mechanism of death for those who die within their jurisdiction. The Cowlitz County Coroner van leaves a crime scene in February 2017. Bigelow says even if hes stuck in court when a call comes in, at least hes a short drive away once hes freed up. By, conduct of a coroner is called into question, washington association of coroners and medical examiners, Democratic Washington Gov. In one instance, according to an employees 11-page written statement, Dundas called a wrong number and shared information about a decedent, thinking he was talking to the deceased persons son. Public . The Washington State Patrol is also investigating the case, and the Auditors office said it has referred the case to the Cowlitz County Prosecuting Attorneys Office. A year ago, I stood inside a cramped space that Thompson rents from Skagit Valley Hospital. Judge sets bail at $2 million for Vancouver man accused of killing former roommate, 7 bodies found during search for missing Oklahoma teens. Were just doing our best that we can to preserve the dignity of the deceased from this point forward until they can be processed for their families, Davidson said. O*Kn2Zw[`}b)/ubPB@ CDQuJ$%i~.zK,eW}|c`(4]t_C--)5"Kan&-arZYhq.{fl}@JEHv:v}>icX1,0|DKfo}|Tsu_g.:^E5*wf=]GbG0 +6U Despite all those flaws, this morgue is an upgrade from what Skagit County used before. CountyOffice.org does not provide consumer reports and is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Dundas still works for the office. &Ej z(^c[zIfF7p}wm4tX4by;,7YaMNRnLVa*4p($T59=(49U\T\M[O1uVC /tm_6BO? Find 11 external resources related to Cowlitz County Medical Examiner & Coroner. And he has access to a small morgue facility in neighboring Cowlitz County. He worries a regional solution would put the nearest death investigator in Longview or Vancouver, more than an hour away. There was a problem saving your notification. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Two Oregon toilet paper factories will close, laying off dozens, Longview lawyer resigns from state bar amid misconduct allegations, Longview goes to the dogs with new leash law and off-leash parks, Kalama superintendent resigns, citing personal reasons, Cowlitz Indian Tribe opens the ilani Hotel, Longview defends hiring David Wallis, mayor's husband, to lead IT department, Judge delays sentencing hearing for Kalama City Councilmember Merz, Cowlitz County Board of Health's new advisory committee draws concerns, Kelso shop fire displaces 2 people and their pets. When asked why he didnt repay Cowlitz County, Davidson said his understanding was that as long as the countys budget stayed positive it was under my control for how I spend those funds., Davidson said in the interview that he took some bad advice and used that training money on further training and personal student loans and stuff like that. He said he would work with auditors to make this right.. This spring, Le Creuset has introduced an exciting new shade thats already selling fast: shallot, a soft lavender with pink and slight gray undertones. 2023 FOX Television Stations, New state law cracking down on hazing honors WSU student who died in 2019, Washington Governor Jay Inslee announces he will not seek 4th term, Amazon's return to office policy begins for corporate staff, Larry 'Gator' Rivers, Harlem Globetrotter legend from Georgia, dies at 73, Camas teen rides World War II tank to prom, Store owners call for more protection amid string of armed robberies. ";s: Coroner Hayley Thompson sits at her desk at the Skagit County Coroner's Office in Mount Vernon. LONGVIEW A coroner in southwest Washington is under investigation for fraud after the state Auditors Office said it found he accepted more than $12,000 in personal reimbursements for travel expenses that had been paid by the county. But where the autopsies are happening is only part of the problem. Other allegations against Davidson and Chief Deputy Coroner Brett Dundas of theft, fraud relating to space rental and creating a hostile work environment were found to be either unsubstantiated or not criminal and therefore outside the scope of the investigation. Employees also said they thought Dundas sometimes took medication for personal use and was sometime not sober while at work, but the state report found that these allegations, while concerning, are not such that they can be investigated as it is so long after the fact.. People are dying from COVID-19 and they dont have to, he said. In the meantime, Thompson is stuck with the substandard facility she pays the Mount Vernon hospital $12,000 a year to use. They may soon tell you who paid for them. 8K{J_,R_B}L A ventilation pipe roughly 20 feet above a loading dock at Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon points directly at an elevated entrance to a group of offices. A single locking cabinet stores evidence, such as blood samples, alongside personal protective equipment. Employment Opportunities. According to the report, both associations reimburse individuals for incurred travel expenses if they complete a reimbursement request form and submit receipts. Kelso Public Library. He will next be up for election in November 2022. Two of them told sheriffs deputies in written statements that they witnessed Dundas rifling through decedents personal belongings at death scenes, at times picking up prescription bottles, reading the bottles then putting them back down, according to the report. By the time the state audit report was released, the county already had filed a report with the state patrol. 0 Kegel was talking to Dr. Sigmund Menchel. His network of peers and other forensic specialists have provided the county with a strong forensic foundation and ability to use the new morgue as a training center, Davidson said. The Washington State Patrol report confirmed information from the Washington State Auditor Office investigation, which found between Feb. 10, 2016, and May 10, 2019, Cowlitz County Coroner Tim Davidson personally was reimbursed $12,602.71 related to travel expenses from two organizations, even though the county had paid for his travel. These doctors serve a population of 2.5 million people across a large swath of Washington state. COVID-19 deaths are not always immediately reported to the health department and take time to be reviewed, Donahue said. 493 0 obj <> endobj Jay Inslee won't seek 4th term, A little loophole could affect the race for Washington governor, A mystery in the Pacific is complicating climate projections, Photographer's decade-long, 600,000-mile journey shows Indigenous life in new book, 7 bodies have been found during a search for missing Oklahoma teens, Here are all the best looks from the Met Gala 2023, The U.S. could run out of cash to pay its bills by June 1, Yellen warns Congress, Montana Rep. Zooey Zephyr sues over her removal from House floor, In April election, King County voters weigh a property tax hike to fund mental health crisis centers, Seattle author Timothy Egan on the KKK's Jazz Age resurgence, Despite setbacks, far-right extremists are winning positions in mainstream Northwest politics, Those mailers telling you to call your elected leaders? This is necessary so that the public may fully understand the complete scope of allegations made against the Coroners Office, commissioners said in a statement. Despite the odd hours, Bigelow likes the job. Most of Washingtons coroners dont even have what Thompson has: a dedicated space. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. So you know, we are fighting against people scrolling through Facebook and Instagram and getting fed a lot of that misinformation, Krager said. Both of them, including one who is still employed with the coroners office, told investigators that Davidson flaunts his elected status, saying that he is untouchable, according to the report. He performed more than 250 autopsies in 11 counties. In her written statement, the woman also said Dundas often berated her for asking basic questions about the job, resulting in emotional distress. Privacy Policy The sheriffs investigation cites an accountability audit from 2017, during which state auditors found deficiencies in internal controls for collecting and logging prescriptions. In Washington state, coroners are elected officials who aren't required to have medical training meaning they can't perform autopsies. Find out which bills passed and what is included in the newly adopted budget. The investigator noted the improper handling of narcotics was among the most troubling aspects of this investigation.. Longview woman to appear in court over Kalama stabbing. Presidential battleground states weigh more election funding, Washington creates missing Indigenous people cold case unit, A NJ pastor-politician is gunned down, and a community reels. hbbd```b``5 DHk q5d\-"vDJ@YFF.*>0 ?V! In a statement, the board of commissioners said Friday that the county is releasing the report so that the public may fully understand the complete scope of allegations., The Board of County Commissioners is deeply concerned about the facts that have emerged from the Washington State Patrol investigation, the statement said. Those spaces were designed for embalming bodies, not doing autopsies, Kegel said. Coroners are elected officials who are not legally obligated to follow county policies. Many stakeholders think they wont, Cowlitz County Board of Healths new advisory committee draws concerns, Clark County COVID-19 case, hospitalization rates both fall, Clark County legislators see bills, resolutions pass. Davidson said the morgue and the. I was scared of (Dundas), and that he could be a threat to me.. I fully cooperated and provided all information requested.. u|F[7m&9YgHH#B~uQv eQ=WZ'oaB'(lj#bAaNb[d@TtQ:m2Zr:lUS\:MkmtkI{B2gy,E)4ytz4(Wzwvpp. The funeral directors there didnt want the exam done in their facility, so the body was examined in yet another neighboring county. Its unclear how that will affect existing efforts to reform the system. A setup like this, Thompson stressed, presents challenges that waste precious time. Deputy Health Officer Dr. Steven Krager said theyre averaging 90 to 100 COVID cases per day. In 2018, county staff suspected Davidson was submitting reimbursement requests to the Washington Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners for travel expenses paid by the county and not depositing the reimbursements with the county to repay the public funds. Attend to training and maintain up to date in ordinance, codes, and legal changes pertaining to the trade and . She said she wouldnt have the county transfer decedents to other locations for autopsies. The report noted that Davidson was well aware of the suspicions from his staff, but allowed Dundas to keep the key to the storage unit where prescriptions were kept. The hospital deferred questions about COVID-19 deaths to the health department. If he were to resign, county commissioners would be responsible for appointing a replacement to complete his term. She said she would participate in anti-drug and alcohol presentations in schools to help reduce overdose rates. Theyd be happy to do the same job at the same money if they didnt have to go out in the middle of the night and look at dead bodies, Bigelow said. Their complaints against their boss and his second in command, which they filed reluctantly despite fears of retaliation, were the catalyst for both state investigations. endstream endobj startxref So coroners like Kegel have to rely on a handful of people who do have the training traveling pathologists, who spend a lot of time in their cars driving across Washington state. But moving away from the dual role could take years, because of election term limits. The report found the claim to be unfounded, though there were some bookkeeping errors and several minor financial errors.. Right now, training is limited to a 40-hour lecture course thats encouraged, not necessarily required, for a position responsible for determining how people died and signing off on their death certificates. And like 15 other prosecutors across the state hes also the countys coroner. He cares about people in need, but supports programs that are designed to be a hand up, not a hand out. The woman later sought counseling through an employee assistance program from the county, to treat anxiety and depression that she says resulted from her experiences in the coroners office. According to a report from the Auditor's Office, between February 2016, and May 2019 Cowlitz County coroner Tim Davidson was reimbursed for travel expenses from two organizations, even though . Kasey Vu, senior deputy prosecutor for Clark County, told KNKX in an email that a decision about whether Davidson will face criminal charges is pending. Davidson said the coroners office is separate from but works with law enforcement and medical organizations. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. /k8U_i{aa,M^+y[~DUoGE"s~0vLF]tX$dm[]/I/x/kY&~'p)W(@ YkT/dmbckU3o9eJ)p4IF;zxO6JV0m$,{h4<. The investigation started after Aug. 5, 2019 when Cowlitz County notified the Auditors Office about a potential loss of public funds. In the report, Tucker says she had heard rumors about Davidson not paying back the county for travel reimbursements. endstream endobj 497 0 obj <>stream Physical Address: 206 Washington St. Longview, WA 98632. He acknowledges that the only way an elected official can effectively carry out the duties of both jobs is if they have adequate support staff, which rarely is the case. In the 2019 interview with Washington State Patrol, Tucker told a trooper she knew several employees who had issues with Davidson and his deputy coroner Brett Dundas, and many of them no longer work at the office or work there less. The refrigeration unit is shared with the hospital and limited to storing a handful of bodies at a time. Neither Davidson nor Dundas returned requests for comment Friday afternoon. But if thats not an option, those coroners are left cobbling together whatever space and resources they can find. %PDF-1.5 % With the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, a proposal like that is even further out of reach. The Washington State Legislative session ended April 23. The investigation started after Aug. 5, 2019, when Cowlitz County notified the Auditors Office about a potential loss of public funds. Cowlitz County commissioners agreed Tuesday to the request to help expand capacity until the new morgue is ready for staff to move into in about a month. Kari Plog is an award-winning reporter covering the South Sound, including Pierce, Thurston and Kitsap counties. But it's better than what most coroners have. These allegations, while concerning, are not such that they can be investigated as it is so long after the fact, the report states. DOH. 2023 County Office. Then, theres the potential conflict of interest when prosecutors assume coroner duties. LONGVIEW, Wash. - A coroner in southwest Washington is under investigation for fraud after the state Auditors Office said it found he accepted more than $12,000 in personal reimbursements for travel expenses that had been paid by the county.

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