After a suicide at home
Cleanup after a suicide
Nobody in the family should have to clean the room. An independent cleanup company can do it quietly, while you are somewhere else.
Answered 24 hours a day, every day
What happens first
In California the coroner looks into every suicide (Government Code 27491). In Sonoma County that is the Sheriff's Office Coroner Bureau, and its detectives may come to the home. Nothing should be moved until they and the police have finished.
After that there is no deadline. Some families call the same day; others wait a while. Keeping the door to the room closed in the meantime is enough.
On the call
Things you can ask for
Paying for it
Homeowners and renters policies differ here. Ask your insurer what the policy says before work starts, and ask the cleanup company for its price in writing.
If a policy is hard to follow, the California Department of Insurance consumer hotline, 800-927-4357, can explain how coverage works.
When you are ready
Talk to a cleanup company about your home
Describe what happened and which rooms are affected, and say whether the police or the coroner have finished. The company will explain the work and its price.
Ready to talk to a cleanup company?
You will speak with an independent biohazard cleanup company that works in Santa Rosa and nearby towns. Ask what it would do and what it would charge. Nothing is agreed until you say so.
Call (707) 271-4587Answered 24 hours a day, every day
Calls may be recorded. The referral disclosure explains how this site is paid.