Introduction

Death may also result from the overdose or intoxication alone, just prior to passive submersion from slumping over or collapsing into the body of water. In this case, the performance of comprehensive toxicological testing in addition to a complete autopsy and review of all investigative information is essential for the proper determination of the cause of death and the manner. In the United States, there are two types of death investigation systems: the coroner (C) and the medical examiner (ME) systems. Both systems coordinate the systematic investigation of sudden, unexplained, unnatural, and suspicious deaths and have jurisdictional authority derived from federal, state, and local laws, with jurisdictions covering a single county, counties, or whole states. For deaths occurring in medical facilities, if the death does not meet the criteria required for a medicolegal death investigation, then it is released from the jurisdiction of the C/ME.