obtained from the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office through a Freedom of Information . I dont even have access, nor want access, to the property room.. Can you suggest a cheap hotel? Officials said they noticed 20 hydrocodone pain pills had gone missing, and there were 19 employees with access to the property room. Copyright 2023 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Jocelyn Fetting, 32, is accused of taking drugs from the medical examiners office with intent to sell them, officials said. Macomb County officials on Thursday will consider settling a federal lawsuit filed over two years ago by a former morgue employee who claims she was fired for reporting health and safety. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, The Detroit Free Press reported. The Macomb County Medical Examiner & Coroner creates death records that can be used in criminal investigations, to resolve insurance claims, or to monitor Clinton public health. In 2007, the county opened a new state-of-the-art morgue at a cost of $2.4 million in the county complex near Groesbeck Highway and Elizabeth Road. Regarding the new allegations, sheriffs investigators a few months ago followed up on a report of the missing pills. They both received $5,000 personal bonds and will be back in court in May. Autopsy report: Roseville man shot by police had five gunshot wounds, cut wounds on wrists . Macomb County Population 840,978 Number of Deaths in Macomb County 6,561 Macomb County Medical Examiners Cases 1,930 (Includes 15 unspecified cases incl. December 9, 2022 Two Macomb County employees were fired after allegedly stealing drugs from the medical examiner's office, county officials announced at a news conference Friday. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WXMI) The Kent County Medical Examiner ruled a 1-year-old's death a homicide, the Grand Rapids Police Department said Tuesday. Patch has reached out to Macomb County officials for additional information. According to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office, Jocelyn Fetting, 32, is charged with conspiracy with intent to deliver, delivery of suboxone, delivery of Adderall and larceny of a building. "I have witnessed prior employees resign due to constant bullying and ridicule for 'not being onboard'with the office culture," the new complaint states. To sign up for email updates from Macomb County or to access your subscriber preferences, please enter your email address. Last month, former . The death investigatorsays that she has often been given the responsibility of identifying the bodies of African Americans whose families have been considered "hostile" or "difficult" by office staff. All rights reserved. Expect More from Local 4 News at 5. Self-Service Web. "I felt that it was so egregious, so out of line and so brazenly conducted on a daily basis and nobody cared.". Three female morgue employees were fired Thursday following a due-process hearing, according to county officials. The ex-morgue technicians were . Macomb County Medical Examiner & Coroner (Clinton, MI - 19.5 miles) . The missing hydrocodone pills were not recovered. Staff are available to take your calls Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm at (586) 469-5214. County Office is not affiliated with any government agency. Throughout the investigation, the sheriff's office interviewed all 19 employees who had access to the property room, Wickersham said. She was terminated because she failed to pass her probationary period and was told by McKinnon she was provided the countys standard letter for that type of termination, the lawsuit says. The jury returned a guilty verdict two hours after getting the case. "Are they a black family?" In 2018, the most recent year for which data are available, the Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office investigated 3,061 deaths, performed 531 complete autopsies, 121 external examinations. The death investigator says multiple people have complained about the "unprofessional decorum" in the past, but to no avail. Recently, a distraught family appeared at the morgue and damaged some doors. I think you want to figure out how you manage these employees but, lets face it, at times, you do have folks who have issues.. 1 weather alerts 1 closings . MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - The Macomb County Prosecutor's Office announced on Wednesday that a woman has been sentenced to spend at least 27 years in prison for the starvation death of her own 7-month-old son. Officers caught up with Carnell Franklin-Smith, 34, and Benjamin Pearce, 29, who had been at the house the day before to transport James Davis' body to the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office. There was one gunshot wound to the head entering on the right cheek . In 2020, three employees were fired after alleged sexist and racist behavior, including a penis cake that showed up at the office the day after George Floyd's death. Person who has been designated as the funeral . A fourth employee a manager is on paid-leave, according to The Macomb Daily, after the four employees reportedly displayed pornographic photos in the office and on their computers. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. His tenure has included additional controversies. The facility was expanded in 2021. Accidents in Macomb County are a major cause of property damage, injury, and death each year. 200,000 lose power as snowstorm blankets Detroit region, St. Mary student to compete in her fourth Macomb County Regional Spelling Bee, Macomb County prepares for inclement weather, Warren man charged with 2nd-degree murder in Royal Oak womans death, Ford to raise production as US auto sales start to recover, Man arraigned in Warren Dollar General robberies, Lorenzo Cultural Centers new program series highlights post-WWII societal change presentations, performances and exhibits, Macomb Sheriff switches motorcycle unit from Harley-Davidson to BMW, SE Michigan under winter storm warning; 6-8 inches of snow expected, Warren man charged with 2nd-degree murder in Royal Oak woman's death, Detroit firefighter charged with dealing drugs in several Macomb County cities, Sterling Heights mom has spent months looking for son, Ray Twp. Nine months later, a Ferndale man overdosed on multiple prescription pain . Secretary /Deputy Coroner. During the probe, sheriffs investigators questioned the entire staff of 19. Penis screen savers. In a workplace dispute that is nowin the hands of the U.S. Morgue employees often take medicine found at a crime scene to compare it to the result of a toxicology report, said Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel. Fetting is charged with conspiracy with intent to deliver, delivery of Suboxone, delivery of Adderall, and larceny of a building. Find 4 Coroners & Medical Examiners within 36.2 miles of Wayne County Medical Examiner & Coroner. Man Threatens To Shoot Up Macomb Co. McDonald's: Sheriff, Clinton Township Woman Injured In Detroit Freeway Shooting: Police, Clinton Township Woman Steals Money From Senior Care Trust Fund: AG, Pre-Planning Seminar with Resurrection Cemetery, Detroit Mercy's Antoine Davis Falls Just Short Of NCAA Record, Pandemic Emergency Food Stamp Benefits End For 1.3M In Michigan, When Will It Feel Like Spring In MI: Farmers Almanac Outlook, 3 Open Houses For You In The Clinton Township Area. The Medical Examiner's office investigates deaths due to violence, accidents and those not attended by a physician. Three employees at the Macomb County Medical Examiner's office have been fired amid an investigation into claims of sexual harassment and racism. Perform death investigations that occur within Macomb County, prepares detailed reports and analysis on investigation of cases, identify deceased's . During the trial, Medical Examiner Leigh Hlavaty testified that AMar had not been fed for at least seven days. macomb county morgue death. 200,000 lose power as snowstorm blankets Detroit region, St. Mary student to compete in her fourth Macomb County Regional Spelling Bee, Macomb County prepares for inclement weather, Warren man charged with 2nd-degree murder in Royal Oak womans death, Ford to raise production as US auto sales start to recover, Man arraigned in Warren Dollar General robberies, Lorenzo Cultural Centers new program series highlights post-WWII societal change presentations, performances and exhibits, Macomb Sheriff switches motorcycle unit from Harley-Davidson to BMW, SE Michigan under winter storm warning; 6-8 inches of snow expected, Warren man charged with 2nd-degree murder in Royal Oak woman's death, Detroit firefighter charged with dealing drugs in several Macomb County cities, Sterling Heights mom has spent months looking for son, Ray Twp. The following death benefits are deducted from the SER payment: The new contract includes an opt-out with a 90-day notice, Hackel said, and it gives the county more control over contracted work. They also work with Macomb County police and sheriff's offices to investigate suspicious or violent deaths. The complainant was told the Free Press that she wanted to report the conduct sooner but feared retalitation from co-workers. Macomb Township Authorities are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found Sunday on a sidewalk, officials said. However, the doctor said that the child was already showing signs of rigor mortis and the baby had been dead for a few hours before he was brought into the hospital. "The office culture is tainted with racism toward people of color. The employees, a 50-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman, allegedly took some drugs instead of properly disposing of them. That is not funny.". If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. Was she whining, overly sensitive? Apr. "All these cities are on fire for the Black Lives Matter movement, and here's my staff eating a black penis cake as a joke? McKinnon said that the threeterminated employees were let go for being part of a sexual discriminatory workplace,not for racism, and that investigators have not been able to substantiate any allegations involvingracism. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports. Shantavia Hayden was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of her 7-month-old after the baby was starved to death in 2020. THREE employees at a morgue in Michigan have been fired after a worker brought a cake decorated with an image of a black penis into the lunch room, according to a report. Two Macomb County employees were fired after allegedly stealing drugs from the medical examiner's office, county officials announced at a news conference Friday. (CBS DETROIT) - Two Macomb County workers are charged after stealing drugs from the medical examiner's office. Schiphol - Arriving and departing, Transfers, Layovers and Luggage storage. Struckel initially complained to Spitz and then to Ridella and McKinnon. A cake decorated with a black penis has sparked grave allegations of workplace racism at a Michigan morgue. 57, died of multiple gunshot wounds, and the manner of death was homicide. These can include Macomb County death certificates, local and Michigan State death registries, and the National Death Index. County medical examiner. The area the county should look at is the chain of command that oversees the Medical Examiners Office, which falls under the county Health Department. More:Many families could see drastically smaller tax refunds in 2023: Heres why, More:Oxford school officials: Ethan Crumbley's parents never refused to take him home. The 50-year-old man and 32-year-old woman, both morgue technicians, were dismissed following a Sheriffs Office investigation into 20 missing hydrocodone pills that should have made it to the evidence room but did not. (586) 469-5214. That role was fully granted to county officials. 2023 www.freep.com. "She began to laugh and stated, 'Yes, I did,' " the complaint states. About Us Contact Us Kaiyanni Jones, who was 1 year and 11 . The legal action was unrelated to scandals at the morgue within the past three years, although both situations are mentioned briefly in documents in the lawsuit. DETROIT (FOX 2) - Keith Appling was sentenced to 18-40 years in prison following his guilty plea for a fatal shooting in 2021. The two employees fired for taking drugs were investigated, the results of which were provided to the county Prosecutors Office, which did not return a request Monday for an update on the case. Thirty-two-year-old Jocelyn Fetting and 50-year-old Jacob Kettlewell allegedly stole over a thousand pills from the facility's property room, Fox 2 reported Wednesday. (CBS DETROIT) - Two Macomb County workers are charged after stealing drugs from the medical examiner's office. Read more Health - Medical Examiner Fees Wickersham compared that to his department, where only four people have access to the evidence room, and he is not one of them. The deal includes an opt-out with 90 days notice. Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Clemens, Michigan 48043 Tel: (586) 469-5214 * Fax (586) 469-6636 To the Macomb County Executive and the Citizens of Macomb County: The Medical Examiner's duty is to investigate deaths which occur in the county to determine the cause and manner of death. Because of that, the county recently instituted improved protocols for the chain of evidence, and the property room has been moved to the nearby Sheriffs Office, officials said. Jacob Kettlewell, 50, is charged with larceny and use of a controlled substance. Clemens, Michigan 48043 Tel: (586) 469-5214 * Fax (586) 469-6636 _____ To the Macomb County Executive and the Citizens of Macomb County: The Medical Examiner's duty is to investigate deaths which occur in the county to determine the cause and manner of death. Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel said two years ago that some steps of the medical examiners drug disposal process gave him pause. Information found on CountyOffice.org is strictly for informational purposes and does not construe legal, financial or medical advice. They'll just say they were upset,' " states the complaint. The office identifies bodies, notifies the next of kin, and returns personal belongings to the family. The tipping point was when a cake, decorated with a Black penis on it, was seen in the county medical examiner's conference room the same week that George Floyd died, the Free Press reported. Please contact the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office at 313-833-2504 to find out how to obtain a copy of the autopsy report. In 2020, three Macomb County Morgue employees were fired after allegations of sexual harassment and racism. "I have witnessed co-workers crying at their desks, crying in the parking lot, and crying in the bathroom of the building," her complaint states. The prosecutor sad Hayden had enough food and financial assistance to keep the baby fed and had received 16 cans of formula during A'Mar's life - including seven of them just three days before he died. Clemens, MI 48043 First of all they are requirements of the country, the Netherlands, to enter the Netherlands and are not municipal requirements to enter the city of Amsterdam. The balloon was there for three days. Three female morgue workers were fired as part of the investigation last week. Mail to Macomb County Clerk, Attn: Death Records, 120 North Main, Mount Clemens, MI 48043. Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office . Spitz took over the medical examiner role in the mid-2000s, following in the footsteps of his well-known father, Dr. Werner Spitz. She said she heard a secretary ask a supervisorabout the cake: "Is that really a black penis cake in the conference room? Both employees were fired in December. She switched to thenight shift for awhile. Both employees were fired in December. They discovered minimal oversight of the evidence room and the chain of custody for items, often drugs, taken from death scenes, officials said. Macomb, Oakland, Saginaw, Sanilac, St. Clair, Tuscola, Wayne 313-577-2890 business hours 313-577-1198 after hours/weekends In no case may a funeral director apply for SER for an unclaimed body. "Were supposed to set an example. Admin Assistant, Clerical. The Macomb County Medical Examiner's office confirmed Scott's identity, but could not confirm an official cause of death as a toxicology report is still pending. The Medical Examiner's office also determines whether or not autopsies should be conducted. The Macomb County Health Department operates the Medical Examiner's (ME) office, which is charged with investigating deaths due to violence, accidents and those not attended by a physician. "So what we decided to do was come up with more stringent protocols in place for us to have oversight to give us access to understanding more of what was being done over there, (this evidence room) was one of those areas that kind of came out as being problematic.". They can break the doors and nothing will happen to them with everything going on, because they are black. Hackel and Wickersham declined to provide the specific kind of drug, the amount that was taken or when it happened. MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. A woman and a man who worked at the Macomb County Morgue have been charged for stealing drugs off of bodies, prosecutors said. A pathologist who studies the cause and effects of disease and injury, then gathers specimens of the organs and body fluids for testing. After the public controversy, Macomb County added new provisions to its contract with Chief Medical Examiner Daniel Spitz, who has held the position since 2004. I mean, as large as the sheriffs office is -- I have four people that have access to our property room. Shantavia Hayden was convicted of second-degree murder in September after a two-week-long trial. Jacob Kettlewell, 50, is accused of taking an occasional pill from the medical examiners office and consuming it, according to authorities. Before she was fired, Spitz told her she was over-qualified for the position, she says. Three female morgue employees were fired Thursday following a due-processhearing, according to county officials. The death investigator says that over the years, she has heard multiple racist and insensitive comments from staff when dealing with African American families who have come to the morgue to inquire about their loved ones. Find 4 Coroners & Medical Examiners within 35.3 miles of Macomb County Medical Examiner & Coroner. . Drug-related deaths have been a significant problem over the past several years and hit an all-time high in 2017 (380 deaths). She moved her desk andvolunteered to work weekends to avoid contact with the employees. They're either "viciouslyharassed," she alleges, or bullied into resigning. Investigators said the chain of drug custody caught their eye, and some workers were concerned about people pocketing some of the drugs. And things have gotten worse, says the death investigator, alleging:"Within the past two years, the hostile work environment has progressively worsened and the harassment has amplified. The board ultimately approved new contracts that year and in 2017. "Its despicable that a mother would starve her child to death. "We needed more control over what's going on with managing the facility, employees that are over there," Hackel said. Spitzs inactive role in management was clarified in the new deal approved last December effective Jan. 1. A Roseville man who was fatally shot by police on April 26 after a crash in Roseville loved to fish, was a Green Bay Packers fan and was generous with his time and money, according to an online obituary.. Frank Robles, 57, was a Roseville resident for 46 years and a graduate of Brablec High School, according to the obituary on the Kaul Funeral Home website. Kettlewell is charged with larceny, a 93-day misdemeanor, and use of a controlled substance, a one-year misdemeanor. Macomb, MI. Berg agreed with Struckels attorney, Joel Sklar, in his opinion to deny dismissal of the free-speech claim that her complaints were made as a private citizen because as a morgue technician she had no management duties and her speech was of public concern. Her reporting of alleged violations was aimed at bringing to light public safety issues, potential wrongdoing and public trust, the lawsuit says. This is the second EEOC complaint to be filed against the Macomb County morgue in recent years. What is there to see and do? A supervisor at the Macomb County morgue has been fired in the wake of a sexism and racism scandal that has cost four women their jobs, and could jeopardize the contract of Chief Medical. In addition to the county, defendants include William Ridella, retired director of Macomb County Public Health; Deputy County Executive Andrew McKinnon, who was director of Human Resources at the time; and county Medical Examiner Dr. Daniel Spitz and his company, Spitz Pathology Group. The next court date is scheduled for May 9. The individual defendants knew Struckel was engaging in free speech because she told each her suspicions and the imminent dangers of disease posed to those who visited the morgue, employees, their families and community, the complaint states. February 2, 2023 / 6:38 PM The data and information provided herein is intended for the private non-commercial use of the general public. Details of a proposed deal are not provided in meeting documents. They involved one worker bringing in a cake with a Black penis in its frosting the day after the murder of George Floyd. The data and information on this website is made available by the Office of the Macomb County Clerk/Register of Deeds as a convenience to the public. The Free Press has agreed to withhold the employee's name at this time because of the nature of the complaint and her concerns about retaliation. Find Death Records and Vital Records related to Macomb County Medical Examiner & Coroner. Hackel requested more control over that part of the operation. The first three charges are each seven-year felonies, and the larceny charge is a four-year felony. Popularity:#7 of 83 Coroners & Medical Examiners in Michigan#158 in Coroners & Medical Examiners. "The Macomb County Prosecutor's Office does not investigate and does not try cases in the media. The Wayne County Medical Examiner & Coroner creates death records that can be used in criminal investigations, to resolve insurance claims, or to monitor Detroit public health. Burial Services. CountyOffice.org does not provide consumer reports and is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The Coroner and Medical Examiner determines a deceased person's time and cause of death, often in the case of sudden or unexpected deaths. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Regarding criminal charges against the two employees, Wickersham said investigators from his office were meeting with Macomb prosecutors Friday for potential issuance of warrants. Robinette Struckel, a former morgue technician in the county Medical Examiners Office, in November 2020 sued the county, a county official, a now-retired county official, and the medical examiner and his company on allegations of violation of her First Amendment right to free speech, the state Whistleblowers Protection Act and public policy. Friends remember Detroit sports media mainstay Jamie Samuelsen, Mitch Albom: Burying the unclaimed dead shows the greatest respect for life, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy, A decomposed body of an African American male had arrived at the morgue. The prior contract was for $1.7 million. But, maybe also check first with the place where she would be cremated, make sure they will take her after a couple days Back in 2017 we debunked a story that a Texas . The EEOC does not comment on investigations. "I was lividfurious actually," the woman said in a recent interview with the Free Press. The next day, the person who made the cake approached the investigator, asking, "Did you try my cake?". It was also alleged Black families of deceased individuals were treated differently by morgue employees, and employees who complained were bullied. ", Later that day, the investigator went to the conference room and saw the cake was still on the counter, covered by a brown paper towel. All rights reserved. On May 26the day after George Floyd died while being arrested in Minneapolis, inflaming the nation a staff member who was not on duty brought in a medium-sized sheet cake that had been decorated with a black penis.