ADA COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE
The Case:
The ER Physician stated that there
appeared to be no cause for this patient’s death.
On a spring night in 2007 at 2:45 am, an Ada County Deputy Coroner responded to a call received from the Emergency Room at a local hospital concerning a male patient in his late 20’s that had expired minutes after arrival. An interview with the Emergency Physician that had treated the patient yielded little information. The physician said that the patient had come to the ER after family had called 911 when he collapsed at his home after stating to family he was having trouble breathing. EMS responded and found him unresponsive. They placed a tube in his airway and began CPR. They also administered several rounds of medication without result. He was then transported to the Emergency Room at the hospital for further treatment. When he arrived, they continued CPR until the ER physician pronounced his death. The physician stated that he did not know the cause or manner of death other than the patient had respiratory and cardiac arrest.
The Ada County Deputy Coroner entered the examination room in the ER at the hospital and performed an over-all body inspection. Initial findings showed no foul play. Further inspection showed small puncture marks to the inside and behind the left knee. These puncture marks were not initiated by Paramedics for treatment. The findings were photographed and the patient was transported to the Ada County Coroner’s Office for further Forensic Examination.City Police Officers came to the hospital and spoke with the Deputy Coroner. They stated that they had responded to the home of the decedent and had found drug paraphernalia.The Ada County Forensic Pathologist reviewed his examination reports and Toxicology results. He stated that the decedent had a lethal amount of Methamphetamine in his blood. He ruled the cause of death to be: Acute Methamphetamine Overdose – manner of death: Accident.
ADA COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE
The Case:
The ER Physician stated that there
appeared to be no cause for this patient’s death.
On a spring night in 2007 at 2:45 am, an Ada County Deputy Coroner responded to a call received from the Emergency Room at a local hospital concerning a male patient in his late 20’s that had expired minutes after arrival. An interview with the Emergency Physician that had treated the patient yielded little information. The physician said that the patient had come to the ER after family had called 911 when he collapsed at his home after stating to family he was having trouble breathing. EMS responded and found him unresponsive. They placed a tube in his airway and began CPR. They also administered several rounds of medication without result. He was then transported to the Emergency Room at the hospital for further treatment. When he arrived, they continued CPR until the ER physician pronounced his death. The physician stated that he did not know the cause or manner of death other than the patient had respiratory and cardiac arrest.
The Ada County Deputy Coroner entered the examination room in the ER at the hospital and performed an over-all body inspection. Initial findings showed no foul play. Further inspection showed small puncture marks to the inside and behind the left knee. These puncture marks were not initiated by Paramedics for treatment. The findings were photographed and the patient was transported to the Ada County Coroner’s Office for further Forensic Examination.
City Police Officers came to the hospital and spoke with the Deputy Coroner. They stated that they had responded to the home of the decedent and had found drug paraphernalia.The Ada County Forensic Pathologist reviewed his examination reports and Toxicology results. He stated that the decedent had a lethal amount of Methamphetamine in his blood. He ruled the cause of death to be: Acute Methamphetamine Overdose – manner of death: Accident.