College Station mayor calls for local medical examiner's office

College Station Mayor Karl Mooney has made a recent push to get a local medical examiners' office and toxicology lab.

The mayor spoke candidly about a personal experience he faced that revealed a troubling issue in the Brazos Valley. Mooney's wife passed away unexpectedly earlier this year.

"As I was experiencing this first hand, it became necessary for me to figure out how I could turn my own personal grief into good," said Mooney.

Once a loved one passes away, the Justice of the Peace determines whether or not the deceased needs an autopsy. The only reason the Justice of the Peace wouldn't need to determine whether or not a person needs one is if they were under medical care for over 24 hours, and the death was a natural cause.

Once an autopsy is ordered in Brazos County, the body is sent to a medical examiners office in Austin, and then samples are usually sent to a toxicology lab in Pennsylvania. This process can take anywhere from four to six months; then you will receive the death certificate. Travis County's medical examiner serves about 40 counties.

"Insurance will not pay until a death certificate with a final cause of death is submitted," said Hillier Funeral Home Locations Manager Glenn Duhon. "Then there are no funds bills to pay the bills, to keep the power on, and to pay the mortgage."

This places a lot of debt on families, especially if the person who passed is the main breadwinner.

Duhon said this would also help families feel more comfortable knowing their loved ones are still in the area and cut down the grieving time they have to endure.

In 2012 the possibility of opening a medical examiners office was shot down because of financial reasons.

We need to take some steps in this area to provide medical examiner duties," said Mooney. "I haven't spoken to anyone at A&M about it yet, but perhaps their medical school might be a good site for that."

Mooney said the push for a local lab came to him while looking at his late wife's favorite flowers in their front yard.

"Despite the cold that we had the week before, they persisted and bloomed, and they kept blooming," said Mooney. "So, I am going to take that message and keep blooming."

Mooney has already spoken with other city officials and plans on continuing this conversation.