Reportable Death
Reportable Death
A reportable death is a death that must be reported to a Coroner under Queensland law because it occurred in circumstances that require investigation. The term does not necessarily mean that anything suspicious or criminal has happened. It simply means that the death falls within one of the categories established by the Coroners Act 2003 and therefore comes within the coronial system.
Not every death is reportable. A person who dies from an expected natural cause, where a doctor is able to issue an appropriate cause of death certificate, will generally not require a coronial investigation. Reportable deaths are intended to cover circumstances where an independent investigation is needed to establish what happened.
What makes a death reportable?
Under Queensland law, a death is reportable when it falls into one or more specified categories. These include:
- The person’s identity is unknown.
- The death was violent or otherwise unnatural, including deaths caused by accidents, suicide or homicide.
- The death occurred in suspicious circumstances.
- A cause of death certificate has not been issued and is unlikely to be issued.
- The death was health-care related.
- The death occurred in care in circumstances covered by the Act.
- The death occurred in custody.
- The death occurred in the course of or as a result of police operations.
A death may therefore be reportable even when there is no suggestion of wrongdoing. For example, an unexpected death where a doctor cannot establish a medical cause may need to be reported simply so that the cause can be properly established.
Some apparently natural deaths can also be reportable. Particular circumstances involving health care, disability support, mental health treatment, child protection or other forms of care can make a death reportable even where the immediate medical cause appears to be natural.
Who reports the death? The obligation to report depends on the circumstances. Police officers and medical practitioners commonly report deaths, while certain service providers have additional reporting obligations for deaths involving people in particular forms of care or support. A person who becomes aware of an apparently reportable death can also report it.
What happens after it is reported? Once a death enters the coronial system, a Coronial Investigation begins. The Coroner determines what investigation is necessary. This may involve police enquiries, medical records, identification, a preliminary examination, Autopsy, toxicology or other specialist testing.
The person may be collected by a Government Contracted Undertaker. When a reportable death occurs, the practical transfer of the person is generally undertaken by a Government Contracted Undertaker under the Queensland Government’s coronial arrangements. Depending on the circumstances, the person may be taken to a Queensland Health mortuary or to another authorised facility while the coroner determines what needs to happen next.
Being reportable does not necessarily mean an autopsy will happen. A coroner decides what examination or investigation is necessary. Some deaths can be resolved after consideration of medical history and other information without an autopsy. In other cases, a preliminary examination, autopsy or additional testing may be required.
The funeral can still happen before the investigation is finished. Once the necessary examination and identification have been completed and the person is authorised for release, they can be released to the family or their chosen funeral service provider. The funeral, burial or cremation may therefore take place while the wider Coronial Investigation is still continuing.
A reportable death does not automatically mean an inquest. Most coronial investigations are completed without an Inquest. An inquest is required for certain categories of death and may also be held when the Coroner considers one appropriate or in the public interest.
The investigation can continue for a long time. The fact that the funeral has taken place does not necessarily mean that the coronial matter is finished. Further medical testing, expert reports, police investigations and other enquiries can continue for months or, in complex matters, years. The eventual findings may therefore be provided to the family long after the person has been buried or cremated.
A reportable death is therefore not a description of how someone died, nor an indication that somebody has done something wrong. It is a legal category that determines when a death must come under the independent investigation of the Queensland coronial system.