Mohave County medical examiner reports 2024 statistics: accidental deaths and drug overdoses discussed

Mohave County Medical Examiner John Haslett summarized 2024 office statistics for the Board of Health, reporting total notifications, investigation counts and cause‑of‑death categories.

Haslett said the office recorded 2,519 death notifications in 2024 and performed 1,159 medical examiner investigations. He said hospice notifications accounted for about 54 percent of notifications (1,360) and that deaths classified as accidental totaled 255, with hyperthermia (63 cases) and motor‑vehicle injuries among leading accidental mechanisms. He reported 83 suicides, 62 of which involved firearms, and 15 homicides.

Haslett described case types handled by the office: external examinations, full autopsies, limited exams, body‑not‑admitted (BNA) investigations where the scene investigation established cause but the decedent was not brought into the office, and death‑certificate‑only notifications. He explained that BNA cases typically arise when on‑scene investigation indicates an apparent cause such as a drug overdose or a fall and the case does not require an in‑facility exam.

Board members asked clarifying questions about terminology and geographic patterns. Haslett noted a modest year‑over‑year rise in total death notifications (about 12 percent compared with the same period in 2023) and slight increases in hospice notifications and certain accidental categories. He offered to review particular pages of the submitted report if board members had specific questions. The report was presented for information; no board action was taken.