Thursday, May 21, 2009
Marion County Coroner's Office Back In The News
The Marion County Coroner's Office handling of a morbidly obese deceased person has the decedent's family asking questions. According to WXNT, Coroner's employees dragged a more than 700-pound deceased woman, Teresa Smith, from her apartment on a mattress, heaved her on a flat bed truck supplied by a local tow truck operator and threw a piece of carpet over her to cover her body as shocked family members looked on. One family member told WXNT that a blanket covering her body fell off and the workers didn't bother to cover her back up as they proceeded to drag the mattress. According to the WXNT report, former Chief Deputy Coroner John Linehan, who the previous coroner fired because he's white according to the findings of an EEOC administrative law judge, said the office has ambulatory devices to move persons up to 1,000 pounds. A few months ago, a source within the Coroner's office said Coroner's office employees mixed up the bodies of an African-American decedent and a Caucasian decedent when they were autopsied. The office did not become aware of the mix up until weeks later according to the source. Dr. Frank Lloyd succeeded chiropractor Kenneth Ackles to the office in January; however, Lloyd kept the same management team in place that worked for Ackles.
UPDATE: The story originated on WRTV. Click here for the full story and video.
UPDATE II: Jack Rinehart led off this evening's WRTV broadcast with a follow up story that included an interview with Dr. Lloyd. Lloyd defended the actions of his employees as "respectful", although when Rinehart asked him if he would allow a member of his own family to be transported in that fashion, he responded, "no." Rinehart also spoke to several different sources who confirmed availability of ambulatory devices to transport obese persons. Rinehart noted that the coroner's office had such a device and an SUV in which the body could have been transported available at the scene for use. I've also added exclusive home video footage Fox59News obtained of the unbelievable scene.
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10 comments:
Gary I saw the procession at a stop light at Post Rd & 25th.
A IMPD officer with lights flashing was followed by the flatbed wrecker. Three matching black SUVs and a Sheriffs car followed the wrecker. They went into Indy on I70.
With the body covered it was obvious that it was a large body. It wasn't a very dignified way to transport someone's loved one.
"Stupid is as stupid does."
Bones Ackles' legend of incompetence lives on in the new Democrat coroner!
I am disgusted by this. The only reason Frank Lloyd was nominated was his skin color. I'm really happy at this moment that I voted for Linehan in the primary last year.
Lloyd needs to resign. Transporting bodies in wreckers, which he admitted to doing, is completely wrong.
Too bad the people couldn't see past the Obamania to not vote for Dr. John Pless for coroner.
The only way that the Coroner's office will ever achieve any creditability is with a Republican Coroner.
The democrats have proven time and time again that they lack the ability to run that office.
Ernie, your side was saying the same thing about the Mayor's office in 2007, that it would be better with a Republican, and look what you got. Party has nothing to do with competence.
Vox nice attempt at a spin but this thread is about the democrat coroner not the Ballard's administration.
Vox, What the Marion Co. Dems did to Linehan after he endured the wrongful termination and humiliation at the hands of Ackles was unforgivable. They blocked him from going before committeepersons for slating against Ackles. After Ackles was re-slated without opposition, he dropped out of the race a week later. The party then met behind closed doors and picked Lloyd to take his place as the slated candidate without even offering a chance to Linehan.
Gary, you are speaking to the choir when it comes to the MCDP and slating of candidates. Our local government is filled with incompetence, whether it's Frank Lloyd or Greg Ballard. This town needs an enema.
Democrat,Republican whatever.it doesnt matter.this is about the total lack of respect for a human being.They had the proper equipment to remove the womens body but for whatever inhumane reason the coroner approved this method. If indeed the coroner did approve this he should be terminated immediately.i even read that the coroner blamed the apartment complex due to lack of privacy.This sir is also your job as a coroner to remove the deceased with as much privacy and dignity as possible-not on a flatbed truck covered with a dirty carpet.Is something being done about this? If not who do we contact to make sure this coroner is removed from his position and this never happens again.
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