What is a violent death
A violent death is one caused by external means — an accident, a fall, a suicide, a homicide — or a suspicious death whose cause is unclear. Finding a body is treated in the same way.
In these cases the law requires a special procedure involving the police, the prosecutor's office (parchet), and the forensic medicine service, to establish the cause of death.
First step — call 112
After a violent or suspicious death, call 112 immediately. Do not touch or move the body and do not disturb the scene, so as not to affect the investigation.
Police and a medical team will attend. The police secure the scene and notify the prosecutor's office (parchet), which leads the investigation in violent-death cases.
The role of the police and prosecutor's office
In violent-death cases, the criminal investigation authority — the police and the prosecutor's office (parchet) — leads the investigation. It establishes the circumstances of death and orders the forensic autopsy.
The family cooperates with the authorities and receives information about the steps. The procedure is not an accusation against the family — it is the legal process for establishing the facts.
The forensic autopsy — mandatory
After a violent death, a forensic autopsy is mandatory. It is carried out at the Forensic Medicine Institute (IML), ordered by the criminal investigation authority or the court.
The autopsy establishes the cause and circumstances of death. It is a legal step, not the family's choice, and cannot be refused in these cases.
National Forensic Medicine InstituteThe certificate from the forensic doctor
In violent-death cases, the medical death certificate is issued by the forensic doctor (medic legist) after the autopsy — not by the family doctor or an on-duty hospital doctor.
Only after this certificate can the death be registered at the Civil Status office and the funeral arranged. See also the guide on obtaining the death certificate.
How long the body stays at the mortuary
Until the autopsy is completed and the certificate issued, the body remains at the forensic mortuary — usually a few days, depending on the case and the institution's schedule.
The funeral home collects the deceased from the forensic service after the body and documents are released. We coordinate this moment for the family.
Registering the death
After a violent death, the death must be registered at the Civil Status office within 48 hours of the date of the forensic certificate, with the prosecutor's authorisation. To register you will need:
- Medical death certificate from the forensic doctor
- Authorisation or approval from the prosecutor's office (parchet), where required
- The deceased's national ID card
- The ID of the person registering the death
The family's rights
The family has the right to be notified of the date of the autopsy and may appoint an authorised independent expert to attend the examination.
The family also has the right to information about the cause of death through the forensic report (raport medico-legal), issued after the examination is complete.
Arranging the funeral after release
Once the body and certificate have been released, the funeral follows the standard route — registering the death, obtaining the official death certificate, and organising the ceremony.
We handle transport, paperwork, and the ceremony, so the family does not also have to carry the weight of formalities at such a difficult time.
Types of death that require autopsy
A forensic autopsy is mandatory in a number of violent or suspicious death situations:
- Road, workplace, or domestic accident
- Fall from height
- Suicide or suspected suicide
- Homicide or suspected violence
- Poisoning, drowning, electrocution
- Body found with unknown cause of death
How we help
We guide you through the legal procedure, collect the deceased from the forensic service after release, and handle the paperwork and funeral — with respect and discretion.
We answer day and night. For a no-obligation conversation, call us or see our funeral transport service.