Arizona Resources

questions & answers

Question: My son died in Mohave county, I want to get an autopsy report, where do I get it? what do I need to obtain it? what is the cost? can this be done by mail or internet? thanks

Answer: Arizona State Statue ARS 11-593, states that any person obtaining knowledge of a death following any of the below listed circumstances, is to immediately contact a peace officer of their given county.
1. Death when not under the current care of a physician or nurse practitioner for a potentially fatal illness or when an attending physician or nurse practitioner is unavailable to sign the death certificate.
2. Death resulting from violence.
3. Death occurring suddenly when in apparent good health.
4. Death occurring in a prison.
5. Death of a prisoner.
6. Death occurring in a suspicious, unusual or unnatural manner.
7. Death from disease or accident believed to be related to the deceased's occupation or employment.
8. Death believed to present a public health hazard.
9. Death occurring during anesthetic or surgical procedures.
To request an autopsy report, you must first contact a peace officer, who then will contact the county medical examiner. The county medical examiner will then create a report regarding the facts and circumstances given surrounding the death, and will then perform the death investigation via autopsy. The number to the Mohave County Sherriff Department is (928) 753-0753; you could call this number to try to contact a peace officer. In all articles regarding autopsies in Title 11 of the Arizona State Statues, there is no reference to the cost of obtaining an autopsy, perhaps the medical examiner in charge of the case could help with this figure.