The Coroner is responsible for investigating and determining cause of death as follows:
Section 5/3-3013: Every Coroner, whenever, as soon as he/she knows or is informed that the dead body of any person is found, or lying within his/her county, whose death is suspected as being:

A. Caused by...

• Sudden or violent death, whether apparently suicide, homicide or accidental…
• Firearm
• Blunt trauma (blows)
• Cutting or stabbing
• Falls
• Electric shock
• Asphyxia, Drowning
• Hanging
• Suffocation
• Strangulation
• Vehicular collisions
• Weather-related (exposure)
• Burns
• Drug overdose, poison ingestion
• Fractures of bones
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Anesthetic accident (O.R.)
• Work related deaths

B. A maternal or fetal death due to abortion…sex crime or a crime against nature…

C. A suspicious, obscure or mysterious death…

D. A death where addiction to alcohol or drugs may have been a contributing cause…

E. A natural death where the decedent was not attended by a licensed physician or occurring within 24 hours
of admission to hospital…

F. Deaths occurring in any jail or other correctional institution…

Shall go to the place where the dead body is and take charge of same and shall make a preliminary investigation into the circumstances of the death.