DeKalb County Coroner's Office

09/02/2026

08/31/2026

🦋TODAY IS INTERNATIONAL OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY🦋

Since 2022 our county has suffered 21 unintentional overdose deaths; even 1 is too many.

Over recent years we’ve seen a downward trend in these statistics. We persist in our efforts to continue this path of decrease by attending fatality review meetings and subsequently addressing areas of concern, by providing community education and substance abuse resources, and partnering with law enforcement in an effort to remove the source of supply.

We know we have more work to do and we won’t ever stop.

💜Because every life matters. 💜

08/27/2026

🎈RIP Dolly and Tim Curry🎈

08/16/2026

Friday night I received a call that there was thought to be an active shooter at our local Walmart. As the county coroner, my team and I have trained and prepared for just such situations but hope that this training is never needed.

I subsequently turned on my county radio and listened to the radio traffic. I listened as dispatchers clearly and calmly conveyed information to responding units. I listened as officers calmly and methodically cleared the store, the parking lot, and other nearby areas. Medics and firefighters staged nearby so as to provide quick response should medical care be needed.

Thankfully, there was no active shooter, though someone had called, in the midst of the situation, to report a bat in their house. 🦇

It's true that we live in a world where active shooters and other evils exist. It's also true that we live in a world where there are still good, kind, brave, people who show up to protect and care for perfect strangers.

It's easy to become immersed in negativity; look no further than social media for a heaping daily dose. While I am not naive to the evils of the world, and I certainly do not see the world through rose colored glasses, I still see good in this world. I am thankful to be surrounded by the best kind of people; those same people who showed up Friday night because it was the right thing to do.

Every day you make a choice; you choose the kind of world you want to live in. Choose wisely.

Jennie Short
DeKalb County Coroner

🌍💚🎼”In a world full of hate, be a light.
When you do somebody wrong, make it right.
Don't hide in the dark, you were born to shine.
In a world full of hate, be a light.”🎶💚🌍
-Thomas Rhett

07/26/2026

On Sundays we like to get up very early, while most are still sound asleep, and watch documentaries. Except for Clarence, seen here yawning; he’d prefer to watch Chicago PD. This morning we watched a documentary about trauma cleaners, often referred to as biohazard cleaners; a job most people could never do.

All of the cleaners who were interviewed expressed a sincere desire to help others.

We often work with trauma/biohazard cleaners and we appreciate them so much. It’s a much needed, too often overlooked, role. They are unsung heroes!

At the end of the documentary, the founder of one such company was asked how she would like to be remembered, to which she replied, “Kind.” Something we should all strive to be.

💚”In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” -Clare Pooley💚

07/17/2026

⁉️WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE CORONER’S OFFICE ⁉️

Each spring, county department heads are tasked with preparing a budget for their respective departments for the upcoming year. I submitted ours months ago and subsequently presented to the County Council this week, on my tiptoes, at a podium I still couldn’t fully reach, while sweating profusely.

I didn’t ask for any additional funding, though I believe my teammates are priceless. I did ask for a few moments to relay what we’ve done with the resources we’ve already been afforded.

Thus far this year we’ve:

-Handled 81 calls
-Provided education to high school classrooms, practitioners and community groups
-Attended countless Touch-A-Truck events; there are those who prefer not to touch our truck, and that’s okay
-Participated in fatality review meetings
-Provided resources for grief, substance abuse and other issues
-Stocked the van with children’s books, toys, coloring books and crayons for kids who are struggling at scenes
-Attended training to maintain and enhance our skills and knowledge
-Collaborated with other agencies
-Helped find homes for pets after the loss of their owners
-Delivered way too much terrible news, but also provided much needed answers
-Gave lots of hugs

And so much more.

Our department has a comparatively small budget, but that doesn’t stop us from doing lots of big, important things.

💚We are so thankful for the support and trust of our community leaders and of the community as a whole.💚

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!♥️
-Jennie

P.S. I will remember to bring my own step stool next year.

06/29/2026

🥵🔥HEAT ADVISORY!🔥🥵

We like to sit outside and read a good [serial killer] book as much as the next person, but today is not that kind of day.

Today is hot as [insert inappropriate for social media descriptors here], just as upcoming days are forecasted to be. We’re under a heat advisory and we don’t mean maybe.

Stay indoors when able. Keep hydrated. Don’t let pets outside for more than a few moments and don’t leave them, or children (which should go without saying but we know that common sense is not so common anymore), in a hot vehicle, for Pete’s sake.

You can be fire, and cool all at once.

06/27/2026

🎸🎼When Willie Nelson penned the lyrics “On the Road Again,” I’m certain he didn’t have us in mind, yet here we are, on the road again. 🎼🎸

Today we had the opportunity to participate in Public Safety Day at the Corunna Fire Department. We spent time with lots of pretty fantastic emergency responders, and thanks to amazing Animal Control Officer Hedge, puppies, too (photo in the comments).

It surprised some to learn that we have books, crayons, stuffed toys and grief, mental health and addiction related resources in our van. It surprised no one, however, to learn that we had big Casey’s sodas in our cup holders, because that’s how we [always] roll (sometimes we have big cookies, too!).

We’re here for our community; for education, prevention, a helping hand on someone’s worst day. And hugs. 💚

06/26/2026

🐢Last evening my husband and I were out for a drive when we came upon a turtle in the roadway. We stopped to move him, but found that he’d already been hit and did not survive.

I moved him into the grass anyway, and later lamented about the turtle. I hope he hadn’t suffered and wish he’d been helped before being struck.

This morning I saw a truck pulled to the side of the road and then spotted an older gentleman moving a fairly large turtle from a busy street to a nearby pond. It made my heart so happy. ❤️

I think people are like turtles. There are times when we all need a little help to keep moving. Sometimes we are mired by sadness; life can be hard and heavy, making it difficult to move forward.

What will you do when you see someone struggling? Will you speed past, pretending not to see, or will you offer help in the form of a kind word or gesture, or maybe just afford a bit of grace?

Sometimes we’re the driver, sometimes we’re the turtle. It takes nothing to be kind. 🐢

-Jennie