What to do first
What to do first often depends on the location and manner of death.
- If the death occurs in a hospital or nursing home, the first thing to do is contact Rosetown Funeral Home to begin making arrangements.
- If death occurs at home, the first person to call should be the doctor. If you are unable to get in touch with a doctor, give us a call and we can begin to guide you through the process.
When the Coroner is involved
The Coroner is a legal officer who may become involved in the funeral process. Appointed under the Coroners Act, their duty is to establish the cause of death in a particular set of circumstances.
The Coroner may become involved when:
- A doctor is unavailable or unable to establish the cause of death
- There is a sudden unexpected death
- Death occurs from other than natural causes
- There is an accidental death
- There has been no recent consultation with a medical practitioner
The involvement of the Coroner is a totally separate procedure from the funeral, so it is worth noting:
- It is still the family’s responsibility to organise a funeral
- It is the family’s right to choose their own funeral director
- There is no obligation to use the funeral director contracted by Police, used to transfer the deceased from the place of death to a public mortuary
In these cases, it is important that the deceased is not moved or disturbed in any way without the permission of the Coroner.
