Page 41 - CFDI Guide

Certified Forensic Death Investigator (CFDI) Program
Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI, CFDI-Expert and Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI, CFDI-SME
Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC
Criminal Defense Investigation Training Council (CDITC) Accredited

coroner and medical examiner offices are exempt and may be disclosed to without a release. Law
enforcement is not always under the same exemption with limitations, and private sector investigators

have no exemption, a HIPAA compliant release is required. Finally, these records cannot be disclosed or
distributed to a third party. The coroner obtains records from the primary care physician [PCP], but cannot

further disseminate it – not to the family, law enforcement, another physician, insurance company or

prosecutor’s office – no redistribution or dissemination, period. Any person or entity – including the CFDI –
must obtain the record from the custodian of the original record, under the authority of the properly
drafted and executed release. The release should request the following records and information:

Decedent’s complete medical record (including last history and physical, all medical diagnosis, progress

notes, prescription medication history), laboratory and imaging reports, all tests ordered with results and
progress reports. Any denial or non-disclosure is to be accompanied by a written explanation detailing the

reason and any possible recourse, to the agency authorized by this release.

Additional non-medical records, which may or may not require a separate release – depending on release
under public records laws – includes: autopsy report, associated toxicology report, body diagram,

photographs (scene, autopsy, and evidence), autopsy attendance log, laboratory and imaging reports, all
tests ordered and results, investigator reports, witness statements, clothing log, evidence log and

descriptions, death certificate and death certificate worksheet, and all law enforcement reports and
records (incident, contact, booking, incarceration and visitation). Again, any denial or non-disclosure is to

be accompanied by a written explanation detailing the reason and any possible recourse, to the agency
authorized by this release.

In all death or serious bodily injury investigations, the following information must be determined from

investigation and review of the reports and records:
1. Document when, where, and by whom decedent was last known to be alive.

As previously noted, the body is a scene, with the location of death being a scene and the location
of the underlying incident being a scene. This may encompass two scenes (body and

incident/death scene) or multiple scenes (body, disposal site, scene of death and scene of initial
assault, as well as mode of transporting the body). All persons that had contact with the decedent

or instruments recording the decedent’s whereabouts are important. Additional direct and
circumstantial evidence may assist in determining the time and location of the incident, events

and death, as well as those involved.

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