Guide

After a death at home in Kent County

This is a plain list of what usually happens, in order. Take it one step at a time. Most of it is handled by people whose job it is.

A man at a wooden kitchen table talking on his phone, snow outside the window

1. Call 911

If the death was not expected, or you are not sure, call 911. Police and medical responders come to the home. If the person was in hospice care, the hospice has its own instructions: call them.

2. The medical examiner

The Kent County Office of the Medical Examiner investigates sudden, unexpected, accidental and violent deaths in the county, and its investigators take custody of the person who died. Michigan law sets out which deaths a county medical examiner must look into (MCL 52.202).

Its main line is (616) 632-7247; the Medical Exchange for reporting a death is (616) 317-3939. The office works weekdays and keeps permanent records of its death investigations, which family members can request by email or through the county's FOIA portal.

3. The funeral home

The family chooses a funeral home, which takes care of transport after the medical examiner releases the person, and files the paperwork. In Kent County a cremation needs a permit from the Medical Examiner's office; the funeral director requests it.

Certified copies of the death certificate come from the Kent County Clerk's office, not the medical examiner.

4. The home

Once police and the medical examiner are finished, the home is released. If the person was not found for some time, or there was blood or other fluids, the room needs professional cleanup before anyone uses it. Close the door, keep pets out and do not try to clean it yourself.

The unattended death page explains what that cleanup involves.

5. Paperwork and payment

Call the homeowner's insurer before the cleanup if you can. If a crime was involved, Michigan's compensation program may help. The who pays guide covers both.

Whenever you are ready

One call to find out what the cleanup involves

Nothing has to be decided tonight. Keep the room closed, keep children and pets out, and call when you want to hear the options from someone who does this work.

Speak with a cleanup company

Your call goes to an independent company that works in your ZIP code. Describe what happened, ask how they would handle it and how they set the price, then decide in your own time.

Call (616) 616-9979

Phones answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Calls may be recorded for quality. Read the referral disclosure and the privacy policy.