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Full 2005 Medical Examiner's Annual Report (761 Kb)
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Split out by chapter below with descriptions of each section:
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Dedication, Table of Contents and Forward
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We recognize that each case in this report represents the death of a person whose absence is grieved by friends and relatives. To those people who have suffered the loss of a friend or relative, we dedicate this report.
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Explanation of Data |
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The information presented here was compiled on deaths in which the King County Medical Examiner assumed jurisdiction during the calendar year 2005. This report emphasizes the role of alcohol, drugs, and firearm use in violent deaths.
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Ten Year Perspective |
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This section provides a ten-year perspective on deaths that the Medical Examiner investigated and variation in data from year to year.
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Death by Accident |
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The Medical Examiner certified 602 deaths as non-traffic accidents for the calendar year 2005. The largest group of accidental deaths was those who died as a result of a fall, 38% (230/602).
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Death by Homicide |
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The Medical Examiner classifies a death as a homicide when the death results from injuries inflicted by another person. During 2005, the Medical Examiner classified 80 deaths as homicide.
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Death by Natural Causes |
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The Medical Examiner assumes jurisdiction over deaths that are classified as natural due to the sudden and unexpected nature of the death in an apparently healthy individual, when there is no physician who has knowledge or awareness of the decedent’s condition, when there is no next of kin to make disposition, or when there are suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.
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Death by Suicide |
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Suicides are those deaths caused by self-inflicted injuries with evidence of intent to end one’s life. Evidence of intent includes an explicit expression, such as a suicide note or verbal threat, or an act constituting implicit intent, such as deliberately placing a gun to one’s head or rigging a vehicle’s exhaust.
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Death by Traffic |
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During the calendar year 2005, the Medical Examiner's Office participated in the investigation of 226 traffic fatalities. There were 152 traffic deaths where the collision occurred in King County, compared to 127 in 2004, 112 in 2003, 121 in 2002 and 142 in 2001.
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Undetermined Cause of Death |
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The King County Medical Examiner’s Office certifies a manner of death as Undetermined when available information regarding the circumstances of death is insufficient to classify the death into one of the specific manners of natural or unnatural death (Accident, Homicide, or Suicide).
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Deaths Due to Drugs and Poison |
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In 2005, drugs and poisons caused 273 deaths (excluding 18 deaths due to carbon monoxide). This comprised approximately 14% of all deaths investigated (273/1,945).
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Deaths Due to Firearms |
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The Medical Examiner is responsible for investigating all deaths due to firearms that occur in King County. Medical Examiner data relate primarily to the victim because information regarding the weapon and the shooter is often unknown.
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Causes of Death in Children and Youth |
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In 2005, the King County Medical Examiner's Office investigated 101 deaths of children and youth ages 19 years or younger, which represented 5% (101/1,945) of the total deaths investigated.
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Medical Examiner Activity |
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The Medical Examiner's Office staff are involved in a wide variety of activities commensurate with the mission of the office including responding to and investigating the scene of death, performing postmortem examinations, certifying the cause and manner of death, and providing information and assistance to families.
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Glossary of Terms |
