The Shasta County grand jury released the findings of its investigation into the Sheriff-Coroner’s office Dec.6.
The grand jury reported that the coroner's autopsy facilities were outdated and violated the California Code of Regulations, Occupational Health and Safety Administration regulations, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sanitation standards.
The report included photographs of the autopsy suite, which showed an unsanitary bone saw covered in bone residue.
The report also outlined systemic issues within the Shasta County Sheriff-Coroner's Office, stating that "almost all current employees of the Shasta County Coroner’s Office are under-trained in medical and forensic protocol."
According to the report, the office has no written policies or procedures for day-to-day operations which "does not allow for any type of consistency or accountability within the division."
The grand jury recommended that the Sheriff-Coroner’s Office develop plans to address these issues to bring before the Board of Supervisors in 2022.
The Shasta County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office did not return a request for comment on the report ahead of deadline.
