Medical examiner: Van Buren deaths returned to pre‑COVID levels; suicides and opioid deaths trended down in 2024

John Storer, chief medical examiner investigator, presented an excerpt of the 2024 medical examiner report to the Van Buren County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 9, saying the county’s death statistics have largely returned to pre‑COVID levels.

Storer told the board the excerpt covers 14 counties and that Van Buren had roughly 503 reported deaths in 2024. Of those, he said, 382 cremation permits were processed — about 76 percent — and noted that cremation reduces opportunities for further post‑mortem investigation, which is why the medical examiner’s office reviews affiliated death certificates. He said the office processed 382 cremation permits in 2024.

Storer highlighted several specific patterns in the county report excerpt: the vast majority of deaths were classified as natural; suicides fell to nine in 2024 from 16 the previous year; there were 13 drug‑related deaths, five of which involved opioids; and the office recorded three pediatric deaths that were infection‑related and not considered suspicious. He said motor‑vehicle crashes and drug‑related deaths remain the leading mechanisms among accidental deaths, and that ground‑level falls account for a noticeable share among older adults.

On COVID‑related deaths, Storer said the county now sees such entries “rarely” on death certificates and that the system has largely normalized compared with peak pandemic years. He also said that referrals to organ‑donation partner Gift of Life remain strong relative to earlier years.

During a question‑and‑answer exchange, commissioners pressed for additional breakdowns (for example, suicides by sex and more detailed drug identifiers). Storer said the office can pull that data from MDILog on request and offered to follow up with county staff and the supervising pathologist, Dr. Patrick Hansma, who was unable to attend and had asked Storer to present.

Storer also explained how decisions are made between limited and full autopsy examinations, saying that the forensic pathologist decides based on initial findings and accreditation standards and that the office tries to be as least‑invasive as possible while establishing cause and manner of death. He said families have asked in some cases that historical exposures (for example, Agent Orange) be recorded on death certificates for survivor‑benefit purposes; pathologists will consider service‑connection documentation when making those determinations.

Storer closed by offering to host commissioners at the medical examiner’s facility for a tour of operations and to provide requested data breakdowns.

The presentation was an informational item; no formal county action was taken beyond Q&A and direction to staff to follow up on requested data.