I know this may be a morbid question but I'm curious. When I do a search online, it talks about final arrangements and the will and so on but I'm more curious about that moment when it is discovered a person has died.
My mother has many medical problems and often makes comments about her dying much sooner than we think. Now, I'm worried.
If I do happen to come into her room and find out that she has died in her sleep, what is my next step? I don't see the point in dialing 911. Do I call the police? Or do I call a funeral home? I just don't know what that next step is when you find out that a family member has passed away.
2006-09-29 01:10:37 · 11 answers · asked by Brynnistic 1 in Family & Relationships ➔ Other - Family & Relationships
YES YOU DO CALL THE POLICE "911" AND TELL THEM WHAT THE ISSUE IS YOUR MOTHER WAS FOUND DEAD..NOW THEY WILL COME AN INVESTGATE THE ISSUE, YOU WOULD ALSO WANT TO KNOW WHO YOUR MOTHER WANTS TO BURY HER SO YOU CAN CALL THE FUNERAL HOME IN MOST CASE THEY WILL PICK THE BODY UP FROM THE HOME ..1ST CALL THE POLICE FOR SURE
2006-09-29 01:16:15 · answer #1 · answered by creation 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You call 911 for an ambulance as the body needs to be checked and transported to a mortuary for autopsy and freezing etc...to establish time of death, reason for death and to stop it decaying whilst funeral arrangements are made.
A police officer will probably visit you, while the 911 team is there or afterwards to take your details and to ask about how, when you found the body and what you know about the deceased, again to confirm what is happened.
You then need to call all family members, that need to know...or at least one, that will call the others if you are too shocked.
A day or so later, you need to call the funeral home of the deceaseds choice or one of your own...so that they can visit and help you arrange where, when and how the person will be buried, what songs you want to choose, wording of funeral epitaphs and any advertising in the newspapers. If the deceased has a will her lawyer ofr the public trustee may be notified however they susally check the death notices in the paper anyway and will contact you.
Check for any life insurance papers/bills/mortages/bank accts within the home and any other financial details that will help the legal people work out what goes where and to whom, from her estate (that means ANYTHING she owns or part owns).
2006-09-29 08:41:49 · answer #2 · answered by Scully 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you are smart to try and have a plan in place for and if the time comes that you find you mother has passed on. I can't imagine how I would feel, but in this life things have to be done. Since you have stated that your mother has a lot of medical issues, and they have been documented, if and when the time comes, I think that you should go ahead and call the funeral home to come and take her body. They will handle getting the death certificate for insurance purposes, and they can also direct you in the steps involved in planning her final service should there be one. I will keep you in my prayers, and hope that all goes well with you and your mother.
2006-09-29 08:33:07 · answer #3 · answered by Special K 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First you scream and cry! Then you call 911. The paramedics will take him/her to the hospital for verification of death. While you are in the hospital, you will decide what funeral director to call. In my case, I screamed and cried, called his brother, his wife called 911 and they called me. Then the ambulance came, took him to the hospital, and then it went on from there. But you, if you are able, call 911 right away! Hope this helps. By the way, some of the other answers: call a doctor, call the funeral home, call the police......all this will be taken care of AFTER YOU CALL 911. Even if the reason for death is suspicious, and in your case it probably won't be, the paramedics will decide if the police needs to be contacted before the body is removed from the scene.
2006-09-29 08:35:29 · answer #4 · answered by Blondie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You call 911; they will send the police to make a report and everything else will follow by procedure.
The police report will lead to the medical examiner filing a death certificate and you can make arrangements through a funeral home to pick up the body.
The funeral home is the only one you have to call yourself, I think.
2006-09-29 08:16:40 · answer #5 · answered by drumrb0y 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For one you have to call the police non-emergency, they will call the coroner then you should call someone else (family or friend) who can be there for you in your time of despair to help you remember what your suppose to do. You make funeral arrangements later that day or even before she passes away. You will see after you make a few family/friend calls some one will assist you with these needs. If they dont (seriously) you can call me.
2006-09-29 08:19:08 · answer #6 · answered by 511@ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You call a doctor,who does the final examination and estimates the time of death. Then when you're ready,you call a funeral home. Hope your mother has many more years left
2006-09-29 08:17:15 · answer #7 · answered by Taylor29 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You must call a Doctor or an ambulance. They call the coroner and he issues the death certificate. Not to be gross, but get 10 copies of the death certificate, you need them for lots of things and if you don't get them then, you have to pay everytime you need one. Have a talk with your mom and tell her you are worried and get her to write down anyone she wants notified or who to contact. She should not be making comments to you about her dying sooner, why would she want to worry you?
2006-09-29 08:19:21 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you would call 911 or law enforcement.......i don't believe the fneral home would want to come out until the deceased has been examined by someone who could sign a death certificate.
2006-09-29 08:16:38 · answer #9 · answered by jrsgurl62 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
call a doctor he will have to sign the death certificate anyway
2006-09-29 08:13:08 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋