The purpose of this research was to investigate the manner of deaths in
Marion County, throughout the years of 2018 to 2021 to see if there were any
correlative increases in homicide, suicide, natural, accidental, or drug
overdose related deaths. We surveyed the incidence of all deaths that occurred
from 2018 through 2021 which came through the Marion County Coroner’s Office, Indiana. The
data was then divided into two halves. According to the data, the leading manner of
death in the first half and second half was accidental. This study revealed a
total of 8732 cases: 3817 of them were observed to be accidental, 3092 natural, 956 homicide,
689 suicide, and 178 were undetermined. There were initially 318 drug overdose
related deaths in 2018 and they increased to 2163 by 2021. In 2018, the number
of deaths due to fentanyl related overdoses increased from 195 to 799 in 2021.
This research will contribute to the forensic science field by providing
information about the manner of death and fentanyl trends in Marion County over
the last four years.
References
[1]
NIDA (2021) Fentanyl Drug Facts. National Institute on Drug Abuse Website. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/fentanyl
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Stogner, J.M. (2014) The Potential Threat of Acetyl Fentanyl: Legal Issues, Contaminated Heroin, and Acetyl Fentanyl “Disguised” as Other Opioids. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 64, 637-639. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2014.07.017
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Helander, A., Backberg, M. and Beck, O. (2016) Intoxications Involving the Fentanyl Analogs Acetylfentanyl, 4-Methoxybutyrfentanyl and Furanylfentanyl: Results from the Swedish STRIDA Project. Clinical Toxicology, 54, 324-332. https://doi.org/10.3109/15563650.2016.1139715
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Malcezewski, M.L., McGinty, A. and Sloan, L. (2021) Marion County Coroner’s Office Annual Report. https://media.graphassets.com/THdo4cntQwyGT8RCdmus?
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Marion County Coroner’s Office (2019) Marion County Coroner’s Office Annual Report. https://citybase-cms-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/ae291d010aa246119733a742dbfe6b48.pdf
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McGinty, A. and Sloan, L. (2018) Marion County Coroner’s Office Annual Report. https://citybase-cms-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/432d21854df94031a4dea209f719997c.pdf
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Graves, C., Hackworth, J., Marciniak. J., et al. (2007) Suicide in Indiana 2001-2005 A Report on Suicide Completions and Attempts. https://www.in.gov/health/files/SuicidePaper_9-5-07.pdf https://doi.org/10.1037/e572842010-001
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Phalen, P., Ray, B., Watson, D.P., Huynh, P. and Greene, M.S. (2018) Fentanyl Related Overdose in Indianapolis: Estimating Trends Using Multilevel Bayesian Models. Addict Behaviors, 86, 4-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.03.010
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