DeKalb County Coroner's Office

02/03/2026

⭐️2025 CORONER'S OFFICE SUMMARY⭐️

-Total cases for 2025: 136 (vs 104 in 2024, vs 96 in 2023, vs 88 in 2022)

-Natural Deaths for 2025: 107 (vs 71 in 2024, vs 71 in 2023, vs 72 in 2022)

-Suicides for 2025: 11 (vs 12 in 2024, vs 8 in 2023, vs 6 in 2022)

-Homicides for 2025: 1 (vs 2 in 2024, vs 2 in 2023, vs 3 in 2022)

-Accidental Deaths for 2025: 17 (vs 18 in 2024, vs 14 in 2023, vs 5 in 2022), including:

-5 unintentional drug overdoses (OD) (vs 8 in 2024, vs 3 in 2023, vs 2 in 2022)

-6 motor vehicle collision (MVC) fatalities (vs 9 in 2025, vs 5 in 2023, vs 1 in 2022)
**Alcohol a was a factor in two of these MVC fatalities**

-6 falls with injuries (all fractures apart from one traumatic brain injury) resulting in death; all were reported by extended care facilities apart from one home death (vs 1 fall at an extended care facility with resultant cervical fracture and subsequent death in 2024)

"Truth does not fear investigation. Truth has the strength to withstand scrutiny. Truth that cannot be scrutinized is not truth."
-Anonymous

Thank you for your continued support.

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02/02/2026

🐿️🛻IT’S GROUNDHOG DAY!🛻🐿️

Today’s the day! Will Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow?

Wouldn’t it would be an absolute dream come true to be there, at Gobbler’s K**b, this very day, wearing a groundhog head adorned hat and drinking hot cocoa, while waiting for the little guy’s prediction? Life goals. But alas, here we are in DeKalb County. It’s cold, it’s snowing, it’s cold (did we already say that?), the folks on Nosey Neighbors will again be exchanging hateful zingers (filled with gramatical errors and expletives) over poor parking choices and banana peels left on the sidewalk. It’s just another day here.

Wouldn’t it be nice, though, if we had the opportunity to do things over and over again until we got it right, like our main character did in “Groundhog Day” the movie?

Be kind to the Ned Ryersons of the world. Be kind to animals. Don’t drive too fast and end up at the bottom of a cliff. Don’t throw a banana peel on an already slick surface.

Let’s try our darndest be good humans today because, unlike the movie, we’ve got just one shot (feet fail me not) at this day, at this life. Don’t spend it focusing on negativity and arguing on social media about the Dollar Tree closing early.

And lastly, happy birthday to one of our very favorite detectives! You know who you are. 🎂

*Disclaimer: There are no groundhog emojis, this is a squirrel 🐿️.

01/27/2026

🖤💚WE HAVE OUR OWN WEEK! 💚🖤

Being a death investigator is hard; it’s taxing both physically and emotionally. We have a small department and as such, no one, including the coroner, has a full time role. We all work full time (plus) jobs in addition to our work with the coroner’s office. We are often up all night, doing things most could not fathom, come home, type up a lengthy report, shower and then head out to our other jobs, still caring for people, but in different ways.

I’ve certainly gained a different perspective in life over my many years with this office, first as a deputy, now as the coroner.

Perspective. Did I really have a bad day or instead, did I just help someone who’s lost a loved one through the worst day of their lives?
Yes, I was up all night, but I was not alone, I was surrounded by the best people, the best emergency responders anyone could ask for.

We must extend grace, not only to others, but to ourselves as well; no one truly knows the struggles one is facing.

In 2025 our office assisted in 136 death investigations; up from 104 the year prior. This equates to many sleepless nights, countless hard tasks and infinite heartbreaking situations. And yet, we show up, EVERY SINGLE TIME, for you, for our community, for each other.

Thank you to my teammates for doing a job most could never do, and for doing it with ethics, empathy and true servants’ hearts. I appreciate you beyond measure, this week and every single hour of every single day!

-Jennie 🩷

01/19/2026

Ask yourself, what will I do today to make this world a better place?

01/10/2026

💙THANK YOU!💙

Thank you to our law enforcement friends.

Thank you for doing a job most could not do.

We see you; we appreciate you beyond measure, not just today but everyday.

01/02/2026

Thank you for all you do! 💜

As we say goodbye to 2025 and hello to 2026, it has been our honor and privilege to serve 146 families who experienced pregnancy loss in Northeast Indiana this year. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your story. We remember. 💜

12/31/2025

🎉🎈🐱HAPPY NEW YEAR!🐱🎈🎉

DON’T DO DUMB THINGS

Margie and her feline friends Captain James T. Cat, Nabisco, Snickers and Scrambles McSuperstuff are planning to stay in this NYE.

What are your plans? Are you heading out on the town in hopes of showcasing your karaoke skills with your one person rendition of Islands in the Stream? Are you staying in with friends, playing games that may, or may not (but they probably will) involve alcohol consumption? Or are you bar hopping with plans to display your stellar dance moves?

What will we be doing tonight? We’ll be home, in bed early, watching classic Dateline episodes and hoping beyond hope that we won’t receive a call from our friends at Dispatch saying that you or someone you love need us.

Please celebrate responsibly. Don’t operate a vehicle while under the influence. Don’t overdue it with the Mad Dog 20/20 and Purple Passion (if those are still a thing, we’re old).

Don’t do dumb things that could result in your demise and/or the demise of others. YOU ARE IMPORTANT! Now go out there and make Kenny and Dolly (and Capt. James T. Cat) proud and dance like you’ve never danced before. And please, someone send us video.🕺💃🏻

12/30/2025

🩷WELCOME DEPUTY CORONER MEGAN🩷

Megan, on the left, is our newest teammate and we sure feel lucky to have her!

Megan sailed through Medicolegal Death Investigation training and subsequent externship. She continues to volunteer as a deputy coroner with another county and is also employed by the Northeast Indiana Forensic Center.

I had the opportunity to shadow Megan on a recent call. She was professional, thorough and kind beyond measure. My heart felt so full and so proud seeing her work.

Megan’s background is in art and science and as such, she said she could have never imagined having a badge. Not only does she have a badge now, she also has a pink badge holder, proving that with hardwork, determination, the sincere desire to help others and to do the right thing, anything is possible.

Welcome to our little family, Megan. You are AMAZING and will be such an asset to our team and to the community!

Jennie

“We rise by lifting others.” -Robert Ingersoll

12/25/2025

12/23/2025

♥️🎄I was listening to a John Lennon song, Happy Christmas, and the opening lyrics, "So this is Christmas, and what have you done?" immediately made me think of my DeKalb County Coroner's Office teammates.

What have they done? The answer to that is so much more than I can ever summarize here. They have done things most people could never imagine doing. They have done things that will stick with them forever, but that few will ever know about.

They've been awakened by calls in the night, asked to respond to the unknown. They've knocked on doors and conveyed the worst kind of news. They've faced the most horrific situations. They've given up time with their own families to help others.

They've gone above and beyond with every single case they've worked. They've helped clean up scenes, packed items for families who could not return to their homes, cared for family pets, hand delivered personal items to next of kin states away, anonymously donated funds and other items to grieving families in need, sat with and consoled children who'd lost a loved one.

They've supported their teammates and other emergency responders. They've supported me.

They've done these things and so much more. I see them and I want you to see them, too. I am so proud of the selfless, often thankless, work that they do.

When I think of Christmas blessings, I think of my teammates.

I am honored to work beside the best group of people.

Merry Christmas!

Jennie ♥️🎄

12/02/2025

🎄♥️WE WILL NOT FORGET ♥️🎄

Last year our office began a new tradition, the addition of a community memorial Christmas tree to honor those we’ve loved and lost. The tree was donated by Home Depot and the paper angels were made by school children.

We started with one ornament; an ornament we placed as a memorial to those we’ve had the honor to serve over the years. Additional ornaments, all meaningful, were placed by many others last season.

The tree is up again for the season at the Annex (215 E 9th St, Auburn). Please come by and place an ornament. If you don’t have an ornament, you may write a name and message on a paper angel. We’ve added an angel of our own to this year’s tree as a memorial to those we’ve served over 2025.

Please help us fill the tree with ornaments and fond memories.

♥️”Christmas is big enough to hold merry and bright and still wish you were here.”
-Unknown♥️

11/27/2025

🧡🤎WE SEE YOU🤎🧡