What Happens After the Coroner Leaves a San Bernardino Home
Last updated: October 14, 2026
After the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner leaves, the home is released back to the family or the owner, and the cleanup, the mortuary, and the paperwork become the family's to arrange. The coroner investigates deaths under Government Code 27491, including any death where no physician saw the person in the 20 days before. Here's what comes next, in order.
The Short Answer
Once investigators release the home, choose a mortuary so the coroner can release the decedent, keep the affected room closed, and call a cleanup company for a walkthrough. The county charges $358 to transport the decedent to its facility, and the coroner charges nothing for an autopsy on a case in its jurisdiction. The cleanup is a separate bill.
What the Coroner Does Before Leaving
What the coroner does before leaving is investigate and take custody. Coroner investigators examine the scene, secure the decedent's personal property, and transport the decedent to the coroner's facility at 175 South Lena Road. The decedent stays there until the investigation is complete and the family's chosen mortuary picks them up.
The coroner doesn't clean the scene. Blood, body fluids, and anything else left in the room remain the property owner's responsibility once the home is released.
The First 24 Hours After the Release
The first 24 hours after the release go best when each step happens in order.
- Keep the room closed. Shut the door, keep children and pets out, and don't try to clean anything.
- Leave the thermostat alone. A cooler house slows the spread of odor, so leave the air conditioning on if it was on.
- Choose a mortuary. The coroner releases the decedent to the funeral home or mortuary the next of kin selects.
- Call the insurer. Ask about cleanup coverage and get a claim number.
- Call for a walkthrough. A cleanup company can scope the room from the doorway and photos.
Coroner Fees and What the Family Pays
Coroner fees are few and fixed by the county.
| Item | Cost | Who sets it |
|---|---|---|
| Transport from the scene or hospital to the coroner | $358 | San Bernardino County |
| Autopsy on a coroner-jurisdiction case | No charge | San Bernardino County |
| Private autopsy requested by the next of kin | $3,846 | San Bernardino County |
| Mortuary services | Set by the mortuary | The mortuary |
| Cleanup of the home | Set by the written scope | The cleanup company |
The coroner's office has no control over mortuary fees, and the cleanup is billed separately to the owner or the estate.
Reaching the Coroner's Office
The Sheriff-Coroner's office answers at (909) 387-2978, and after hours the same number reaches a Sheriff's dispatcher who can connect urgent matters to a coroner investigator. The lobby handles mortuary releases Monday through Friday during business hours. Call for questions about the release of the decedent or the personal property investigators secured.
For the room itself, call us. We'll book the walkthrough and give you a written price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can family members go into the room after the release?
Family members can legally enter once the home is released, but the room holds blood or body fluids that carry infection risk. There's nothing in the room that needs to be handled before the cleanup crew arrives. If a document or a phone is needed urgently, ask the crew to retrieve it and clean it during the walkthrough.
What happens to belongings the coroner took?
Coroner investigators secure the decedent's personal property during the investigation. Call the Sheriff-Coroner's office at (909) 387-2978 to ask what was taken and how the next of kin can collect it. Belongings that stayed in the home remain there for the family, and we set aside anything personal in the affected room for the family to review.
How soon should cleanup start after the release?
Cleanup should start within a day or two of the release, especially in summer, when heat in a closed house speeds the spread of odor and fluid. The walkthrough can happen the day the home is released, and the work begins once the person paying signs the scope. Waiting longer adds material to remove and hours of odor treatment.
Is there a fee if the family chooses a mortuary late?
The coroner's published fees cover transport and private autopsies, and mortuaries set their own charges once they take over. Ask the mortuary for its fee schedule when you call. The coroner releases the decedent once the investigation is complete and a mortuary has been selected.
Who signs for the cleanup if there's no will?
Whoever has legal authority over the property signs for the cleanup. In an owned home, that's the surviving owner or the person handling the estate. In a rental, the landlord or property manager signs for the unit. If the family hasn't settled who that is yet, the person who controls access can approve a walkthrough while the rest is decided.
Get a Free Estimate in San Bernardino
Once the coroner has released the home, call 123-456-7890 for a walkthrough and a written price. See our death cleanup and suicide cleanup pages, or how we handle biohazard cleanup in San Bernardino.