REPORT A DEATH

If you or your agency are calling to report a death to the Medical Examiner’s Office, please first determine if the death falls within the Reporting Criteria provided below, Pursuant to Wisconsin State Statue 979.01.

Reporting Criteria

When reporting a death, the Medical Examiner’s Office will need the following information:

• Demographic information for the decedent
• Medical history and primary medical diagnosis
• Any contributing factors to the death such as a recent fall/injury/accident
• Primary physician
• Name of facility
• Name and contact information of registered nurse reporting the death
• Date and time of death
• Funeral home
• Next of kin

Reportable Deaths

If the death being reported falls within the criteria outlined, the death is considered “Reportable” and immediate notification of our office can be made through the Marathon County Dispatch Center regardless of the date or time.

Please call Marathon County 911 Communications Center at 715-261-7792 and request for the on-call Medicolegal Investigator for the Medical Examiner’s Office to be paged.

Non-reportable Deaths

If the death being reported does not fall within the outlined criteria, the death is considered “Non-Reportable” and notified should be done via a completed Death Reporting Form faxed or emailed to our office. Note: Even if a call to our office is made, completion of the Death Reporting Form is still required.

Death Reporting Form

The Marathon County Medical Examiner’s Office charges certain fees to funeral homes. These fees are established by the Marathon County Board.

Death Certification: TBD

Cremation Authorization: $283.00

Disinterment Authorization: $283.00

Funeral homes and hospitals may request to temporarily store a body at the Medical Examiner’s Office. There is a fee charged for this service.

 Decedent Identification Form

Funeral homes in the Wausau Metro area are generally visited on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday by Medical Examiner’s Office staff for the purpose of cremation views. Upon our staff members arrival, a representative from the funeral home should be present to identify the decedent and assist with clothing removal/ body maneuvering to ensure accurate documentation of the decedent.

If your funeral home is stationed outside of the Wausau Metro Area, please contact our on-call investigator to request a viewing be completed at our facility prior to the decedent leaving the area at 715-261-7792.

A disinterment permit application forms form must be filled out completely and notarized before it can be processed. Please contact the Medical Examiner’s Office at 715-261-1199 for assistance.

If you have questions or concerns, please mail the medical examiner's office at:

Medical.Examiner@marathoncounty.gov

Medical Examiner’s Office Forensic Science Center
505 W. Campus Dr.
Wausau, WI 54401