Concerning a death in the family under unnatural circumstances.

By bro passed away and the police have been less than helpful as to how and why.

The police suggested hard drugs and prescription tranquizers such as lorazepam and diazepam but I’ve seen no reports, medical, or police.

Although given what I know of him, that fits, but I’ve got nothing to go on, no hospital report, no police report, nothing, just a phone call from the pigs saying he’s dead, then I went to the police station in question and was kept waiting, had to go away and come back the week after, and just a wall of bullshit.

Are there any legal mechanisms I can use to force the police to give me their findings (as next of kin)

He died (allegedly) about 2 months ago and the police aren’t saying anything and the corenors office is useless, I obtained a temporary certificate of death for the purpose of crematorium, but I really need answers.

The cause of the death on the temporary certificate is ‘unknown’

Thanks for any advice.

just a phone call from the pigs saying he’s dead

I am sure your attitude towards them is really helping things along. 🙄

If there is an investigation ongoing they won’t be able to tell you anything much until it is concluded.

Sorry to hear you’re going through this. You might want to order this book and have a look at the website: might contain some helpful info. It should outline your rights as NOK (you do have rights to information).

http://www.inquest.org.uk/help/the-inquest-handbook

Will the coroner’s office tell you when the inquest will be? You can pose specific questions. Best to put them in writing. Coroner’s officers can be variable in the way they work so might be best to put your concerns in writing to make sure they don’t ignore them.

My person experience is that the detail of information at inquest, especially the post mortem evidence is very upsetting for relatives. You could ask for a copy and read it (or have someone interpret it for you) before the inquest so you have the opportunity to digest it and ask any questions.

I am sure your attitude towards them is really helping things along

I assume the term was drawn from the OP’s experience so far.

Y’know, the bit in the first couple of paragraphs.

I pretty much can guess what the toxicology result will be.

I’m just so angry that the police are so secretive about it, I’ve not seen him for a few years due to his lifestyle. I wouldn’t be surprised I just want transparency from the filth.

Post mortem was inconclusive hence an inquest.

I don’t even know if the inquest has happened or has even been scheduled. Hence my urgency to find out. And hence my thinly veiled anger.

Tried CAB or googled it?

Bereavement charities?

There are a few Police Officers who frequent these boards – self included – who are very au fait with the process when someone dies and could offer helpful suggestions and advise. If you lay off the insults and name calling they may feel like helping….

I am angry and lashing (metaphorically) and venting, so I do apologise for my tone.

Sorry for any offence caused.

So what did he die from?

OP if it’s in Scotland – which it doesn’t appear to be – I might be able to help. Otherwise, all the best and sorry about your brother.

mrmoofo – Member
So what did he die from

I don’t know.
I’ve had no written police reports.

I know what I think may have happened.

I’ve had no toxicology reports.

The police and corenors are suspicious enough not to issue a final death certificate, I only got given a temporary death certificate which was good enough for the funeral, but the cause of death is unknown… According to the temporary death certificate.

It’s **** bullshit.

OP, really sorry about your brother.
If the PM was inconclusive it is difficult for the police to furnish any information other than what was found at the scene, it sometimes comes across as reticence but it isn’t. I attend many ‘sudden’ deaths and it breaks my heart at each and every one. Hope you get some answers

Edit:cba

.

Well that’s the thing, the police have given me nothing in writing, nothing at all.

So that’s why I’m looking at making a formal complaint to extract all or any information they are withholding around the death.

All I’ve had is a few phone calls. The coffin at the crematorium could have been filled with dead kittens for all I know.

Can I do a subject access request under the data protection act? Or something similar? As next of kin I feel I should have the information.

He could still be alive for all I know.

Good luck, been there done that got the t-shirt when the sister in law passed away, in similar sounding circumstances.
The police were useless and refused to give my wife any details even though she was the next of kin but would happily tell anything to one of the aunties.
The coroner was exactly the same and was very unhelpful and even refused to give us answers to some questions, I don’t know if it’s still the same but it was near on impossible to lodge a complaint against them as it could only be done to the Home Secretary or someone similar it was over 10 years ago so my memory isn’t as sharp as it was.

I am sorry that you find your self in this position and sorry for your loss.

I am neither a police officer nor a coroner but I do have regular dealings with the coroner’s officers locally. The coroner is required to look into any deaths which are violent or unnatural, or where the cause of death is unknown or that occur in prison etc. and essentially have to establish who died, where and when they died and what the cause of death was.

It is the coroner and his staff that request a post mortem, organise an inquest if needed and deal with relatives and witnesses. The police won’t be able to tell you much without the coroner’s permission. The inquest process is a lot quicker than it used to be but can still take several months and so in order to allow burial the coroner often issues a preliminary certificate which is what seems to have happened in this case.

I would suggest that you contact the coroner’s office, ask to speak to one of the coroner’s officers and politely explain your concerns about the lack of information. In my experience, although they are incredibly busy, coroners and their staff are very sympathetic to the bereaved relatives and go out of their way to make sure that you get the information you need and are supported at any inquest although to avoid confusion they may prefer to update the next of kin or a small number of close relatives rather than the whole of an extended family.

There is a FAQ from the coroners court support service here. .

Ratadog makes a good point there. For deaths that don’t require a criminal investigation, everything the police do is on behalf of the coroner, and its the coroner who is in charge.

Sorry for any offence caused.

Righto – happy to help. Very sorry for your loss OP…

As thegreatape has mentioned, the Police attend any ‘unexpected’ deaths (generally when the person hasn’t seen the Doctor in the last X hours and isn’t in hospital). Their role is twofold – firstly to rule out suspicious circumstances (any indication of which turns the whole affair into a crime scene – you’d have known if this was the case) and secondly to act on behalf of the coroner and gather information that the coroner will find helpful to establish identity and likely cause of death.

Generally an unexplained death will lead to a post mortem conducted in a mortuary by a pathologist, the aim of which is to help the coroner establish a (likely) medical cause of death. A report is prepared and passed to the coroner, who will most likely hold an inquest (hence the current ‘unknown’ cause of death – the official cause of death won’t be determined until the inquest).

I am going to make some assumptions here, and I apologise if these are unpleasant to read, but I find it easiest to talk directly about these matters. If a crime scene was not declared (loads of tape, bobbies and Tyvek suits) and the case has been passed to the coroner, the Police would have a strong belief that the consumption of the various drugs was self induced – either accidental or deliberate. The latter would be easier to establish at the scene, most commonly through the existence of a note or reliable contact with someone immediately before his death.

My advise would be that you speak with a Coroner’s Officer in person, and establish what has happened so far and what is likely to happen in the near future. I would strongly suspect that an inquest will take place – they are open to the public – and the full facts will be presented before the inquest, including information gathered by the Police at the scene. I wouldn’t hold out much hope of getting further information directly from the Police at this stage – most Forces would be unlikely to disclose incident logs even to a direct member of family. Wait until after the inquest before making too much of a scene – that will likely provide you with all the known facts.