Dr. Silva, Kane County coroner, told the Judicial and Public Safety Committee on Sept. 11 that the office has handled 33 suicides from Jan. 1 through Sept. 10, 2025, including two victims aged 21 or younger, and 35 suspected drug overdoses in that same period. She said 20 of the overdoses were opioid-related and the office has distributed 4,600 boxes of naloxone to the community.
The coroner said those counts are current “up to 09/10/25” and noted some cases remain open, so totals could change. She also told the committee the office is operating with five full-time deputies, one on light duty, and expects to lose another deputy, which she said limits capacity to process cases.
Those figures came during a broader briefing on causes of death and staff strain. “Between overdoses and suicide, that is where our sign out on natural deaths occur,” Dr. Silva said during her report, urging more public awareness and prevention efforts.
The coroner raised a separate operational concern about an agenda resolution to authorize county funds to purchase a rapid DNA instrument and database capability for the Kane County forensics lab. Dr. Silva said purchasing rules require the county to competitively bid equipment over $30,000 and that the county must buy the equipment from its coroner’s funds before a grant reimbursement can be processed. Because the purchasing office advised a formal bid process was required, Dr. Silva asked that the resolution be pulled; a motion to introduce the resolution received no second and therefore failed.
Committee members and staff also discussed kratom as a substance of concern. Dr. Silva said two recent deaths were attributed to kratom and that the product is unregulated and sold as a “wellness product.” “Kratom is, in my opinion, a very dangerous substance that is not regulated,” she said, and flagged ongoing work with the national laboratory to clarify toxicology findings. Board members said state-level regulation may be required; a countywide regulatory path was described as unclear.
The coroner and committee members discussed next steps that include community education and coordination with the state and local public health authorities. “The more awareness that we bring, then we can make legislators aware of what is going on,” a committee member said during the discussion.
The committee did not adopt any formal policy changes or new funding on Sept. 11; the instrument purchase resolution was withdrawn from consideration and will be revisited when procurement steps and reimbursement mechanics are clarified.
The coroner also recognized staff for their work supporting families through fatalities caused by overdose and suicide, saying the office’s team “does such a great job of speaking to the families the following day with such compassion and professionalism.”