Deputy coroners become certified death investigators

Recently, individuals working in the Hot Spring County Coroner’s Office have been earning additional certifications to better serve the community.

According to Coroner Jason Chenault, three deputy coroners: Duke Evans, Leah Evans and Cassidy Baker have become Arkansas Medicolegal Death Investigators.

Deputy coroners Christina O’Keefe, Amanda Hogan and Colton O’Keefe have earned certifications by the Arkansas State Crime Lab to draw blood for toxicology testing. They are also slated to attend the ARMDI course in the near future, Chenault said.

Chenault explained that to become an Arkansas Medicolegal Death Investigator, deputy coroners must complete 40 hours of course work. Through this course, they learn how to investigate deaths including learning about crime scene photography, mass fatalities, death certificates and laws that involve coroners. The coroners also complete eight hours of law enforcement training.

According to Chenault, the course changes the way that coroners respond to a scene and teach them that they have to look at each individual situation differently.

The course is organized by the Arkansas Coroner’s Association.

Chenault noted that he has encouraged his staff to complete as much training as they can.

“We should be learning everyday,” Chenault said.

For a time, trainings were put on hold because of COVID-19, but they have now resumed..

He mentioned that Chief Deputy Shannon Cleghorn who has worked in Hot Spring County for a little over a year and a half is also an infant death investigator. All of the deputy coroners will be completing this training in the future as well.

Along with additional training, Chenault said that his office has made other improvements.

A truck has been added to the fleet and they began using electronic reporting.

To store bodies, the county has also purchased a cooling system that is located in a secure area, he said.

All of these changes will help the coroner’s office better serve the residents of Hot Spring County, he said.

He commended the deputies coroners he works with for being the best and said his office is “just getting started.”