autopsies

Before earning a grant to renovate its operations under one roof, the Skagit County Coroner's Office rented a makeshift morgue at a local hospital in Mount Vernon.

Effort to address critical shortage of forensic pathologists stalls

Kari Plog

Senate Bill 5776 would have, among other things, created a state violence and death investigation resource center. Plans for the center, led by a forensic pathologist, included developing best practices for death investigations statewide.

Nicole MacMaster says she still has unanswered questions about the death of her mom, Frankie "Ellen" Schmitz. She says her mother didn't get the death investigation she deserved.

Other News

Coroners in Washington lack clear oversight, leaving some families without closure

Kari Plog

Nicole MacMaster remembers her mom, Frankie "Ellen" Schmitz, as a doting grandmother who loved to crochet. Christmastime was her favorite, and she always…

Hayley Thompson, the coroner in Skagit County, says the makeshift morgue she rents from the local hospital — a space converted from a closet — has a lot of flaws. But it's better than what most coroners have.

Politics

Coroners in Washington manage to investigate deaths despite untenable conditions

Kari Plog

It isn’t often a coroner gets to deliver good news. Last week was an exception for Hayley Thompson.The Skagit County coroner learned her office was…