King County Medical Examiner's Annual Report
The Medical Examiner’s Office 2018 Annual Report reflects the activities pertaining to the investigation of deaths in King County. The mission of the King County Medical Examiner’s Office (KCMEO) is to investigate sudden, unexpected and unnatural deaths in King County with the highest level of professionalism, compassion and efficiency, and to provide a resource for improving the health and safety of the community.
In 2018, there were an estimated 14,796 deaths in King County. Of those deaths, 7,358 (50%) were reported to the Medical Examiner's Office. Deaths occurring in a hospital or hospice setting from a known natural disease process are not required to be reported to the Medical Examiner's Office. The Medical Examiner's Office assumed jurisdiction over 2,576 deaths, performing autopsies in cases of 95 homicides, 319 suicides, 164 traffic deaths, 818 accidental deaths, 1,003 natural deaths and 61 deaths due to undetermined causes.
