Crime & Safety

Grim Tally: Coroner Investigated 5,093 Deaths Last Year, Including 11 in Seal Beach

The report found that deaths from prescription drug overdoses now outnumber those from illegal drug use three-to-one.

The Orange County Coroner summarized its grim task in an annual report that covered 7,106 deaths last year, including 11 in Seal Beach.

In the report released Thursday, the coroner division of the Sheriff's Department reported a total of 18,915 deaths in Orange County last year.

Some 7,106 deaths were reported to the coroner's office, which then investigated 5,093 of those cases and performed 1,654 autopsies. Here is what the coroner found as the cause of death:


  • Natural causes – 5,954 – 84%
  • Accidents (including drug overdose) – 738 – 10%
  • Suicide – 298 – 4%
  • Homicide – 63 – 1%
  • Undetermined – 53 – 1%
The coroner investigated 11 deaths in Seal Beach, one in Rossmoor and six in Los Alamitos, but did not provide a breakdown of the causes.

Throughout the county there were 354 deaths from dug overdoses. Deaths from illicit drug use are declining, while deaths from prescription overdoses now outnumber those from illicit drugs three-to-one.
 
The report said use of firearms continues to be the most common means of suicide and homicide in the county, with hanging second in cases of suicide.

The complete 2012 Coroner Report can be viewed online at http://ocsd.org/divisions/prof/coroner/stats.


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