DeKalb County Coroner's Office

10/10/2025

🌍Today is World Mental Health Day🌏

In August I posted that we’d lost 5 people in our county to su***de thus far this year. It’s October, and now the number is 8.

I can’t count the times I’ve said “I’m so sad that they felt this was the best and only option.” I can’t tell you how many times over the many years I’ve been with the department that I’ve had to tell someone that their loved one has died by su***de. Too many times.

If you are struggling, please tell someone. Please seek help.

☎️988 Su***de and Crisis Hotline☎️

This world can be very unkind, lets all try our best to make it a little kinder.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” -Plato

💔Jennie

09/21/2025

Today is World Peace Day.

Right now World Peace seems a lofty, overwhelming goal, given that even locally we struggle to find common ground. We spend our time bickering on social media, effectively changing no one's mind, only further inflaming tensions and rage.

So maybe World Peace Day can mean something else. Maybe today means that we work to find peace within ourselves and in our space.

Today may we work to bring about peace by being kind to others, despite our differences. By allowing grace, not only for others, but for ourselves. By knowing that today is another day to try our best to be a good human.

Today let us take the time to listen, really listen, before forming an opinion or a response.

We cannot change yesterday but we can be better today.

Today we hope you find peace in your own skin, so that you can move forward, making this often unkind World a little kinder.

Maybe that's what World Peace Day is really about.

Peace,
Jennie

Send a message to learn more

09/11/2025

🇺🇸We will never forget. 🇺🇸

09/10/2025

09/04/2025

💔🥀September is National Su***de Prevention Month🥀💔

Thus far this year DeKalb County has lost 5 people to su***de; one is too many.

If you are struggling, there is help. You are important.

988-Su***de and Crisis Hotline

🌒The Morning After I Killed Myself🌒

The morning after I killed myself, I fell in love. Not with the boy down the street or the middle school principal. Not with the everyday jogger or the grocer who always left the avocados out of the bag. I fell in love with my mother and the way she sat on the floor of my room holding each rock from my collection in her palms until they grew dark with sweat. I fell in love with my father down at the river as he placed my note into a bottle and sent it into the current. With my brother who once believed in unicorns but who now sat in his desk at school trying desperately to believe I still existed.

The morning after I killed myself, I walked the dog. I watched the way her tail twitched when a bird flew by or how her pace quickened at the sight of a cat. I saw the empty space in her eyes when she reached a stick and turned around to greet me so we could play catch but saw nothing but sky in my place. I stood by as strangers stroked her muzzle and she wilted beneath their touch like she did once for mine.

The morning after I killed myself, I went back to the neighbors’ yard where I left my footprints in concrete as a two year old and examined how they were already fading. I picked a few daylilies and pulled a few weeds and watched the elderly woman through her window as she read the paper with the news of my death. I saw her husband spit to***co into the kitchen sink and bring her her daily medication.

The morning after I killed myself, I watched the sun come up. Each orange tree opened like a hand and the kid down the street pointed out a single red cloud to his mother.

The morning after I killed myself, I went back to that body in the morgue and tried to talk some sense into her. I told her about the avocados and the stepping stones, the river and her parents. I told her about the sunsets and the dog and the beach.

The morning after I killed myself, I tried to unkill myself, but couldn’t finish what I started.

-Meggie Roy

08/26/2025

SUIDI (Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Investigation) is a part of our training as Medicolegal Death Investigators.

Unfortunately, co-sleeping, inappropriate positioning and unnecessary bedding and other items in an infant’s sleep space can lead to terrible tragedy.

No one thinks it can happen to their family, but we sadly know it can, and it has, many times, right here in DeKalb County.

Please do not co-sleep with your baby.

08/23/2025

Today we were honored to participate in a HUGE emergency responder event, aptly called 🚨EMERGENCY!! 🚨

We were equally honored, and so excited, to meet hero K9 Millie, who recently tracked and located a lost child.

And Dave got a free sucker, so there’s that.

It was a really good day. We are so thankful for these opportunities

08/20/2025

Our office was invited to attend this awesome event. Come out and see us! It’s going to be a beautiful day.

08/13/2025

My husband and I ran into a friend last weekend. That friend relayed that he and a group of his high school classmates were together to celebrate the life of a buddy who’d taken their own life. Their friend had given no indication that they were depressed and in need of help. They all wish they’d known; they would have offered support.

This conversation brought about input from another friend who said he’d seen a shirt with the phrase “I hope you win the war you tell no one about.” That really resonated with him; it resonated with me, too. So much so that I haven’t stopped thinking about our discussion or that phrase since.

Thus far this year our office has investigated 5 confirmed su***des; we ended 2024 with 12 su***des. One is too many.

Wars are not meant to be fought alone. Please do not suffer in silence. Help is available.

🩷YOU ARE SO IMPORTANT. 🩷

988 Su***de and Crisis Hotline

-Jennie

08/08/2025

I met Eric Balliet the first year I attended Coroners Conference. Eric was an Allen County Deputy Coroner, full time Ft. Wayne Firefighter and so much more. He had the best sense of humor and a huge, empathetic, servant’s heart.

Eric often spoke of his time time volunteering at a youth burn camp; he was clearly very passionate about that cause.

Eric died in 2017 during a training session with the fire department, but no doubt his memory lives on through his good deeds. I cannot begin to imagine the positive impact he had on the children he interacted with at burn camp.

Today our department received an invitation to attend this emergency responder event; an event that brings 7,000 attendees, the proceeds of which benefit a youth burn camp.

What an honor to have been invited and what an honor it was to have had such a wonderful friend.

Thinking of you today, Eric and hoping you know what a positive impact you made in the World. You are missed, my friend.

Jennie

07/30/2025

💚THANK YOU ! 💚

Tonight we had the opportunity to participate in Garrett Night Out, and tomorrow we’ll participate in Butler Night Out. We are so thankful to be included in such events!

Through such partcipation, we hope to further build relationships and trust within our community, and to educate the public on the very important role we play.

We appreciate the support we’ve received and will continue to try our very best to always do the right thing.

07/10/2025

🩷Choose kindness.🩷