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Biohazard CleanupStockton · San Joaquin County

Guide for San Joaquin County

After a death at home: what happens next

This is a short, plain outline of the steps after a death at home in Stockton and the rest of San Joaquin County. Take it one step at a time. Most of it is done by other people.

Quiet street of single-story ranch houses with lawns, a valley oak and a palm tree in soft afternoon light

Step by step

The usual order of things

  1. Call 911 if the death was unexpected

    If someone has died suddenly or you found them, call 911. Police and paramedics respond. If the person was receiving hospice care, the hospice team can tell you what to do next.

  2. The medical examiner may be involved

    In San Joaquin County, the San Joaquin County Office of the Medical Examiner looks into sudden or unexplained deaths and investigates about half of all deaths in the county. Its FAQ says an investigation does not mean a crime is suspected, and that a body may be taken when the death was possibly an accident, suicide, homicide or unknown cause, or when the person died alone.

  3. Choose a funeral home

    The office says the family's chosen funeral home or mortuary coordinates the release, and that a body is typically ready for release within 48 to 96 hours. The funeral home also helps with certified death certificates. Source: Office of the Medical Examiner FAQs.

  4. Personal property

    Personal property taken by the medical examiner can be picked up from the office during business hours. The office is at 7105 Bob Heidelbach Place, French Camp; phone (209) 468-4300.

  5. Wait until the scene is released

    Police or investigators decide when they are finished at the home. Ask them directly whether you can begin cleaning or have it cleaned.

  6. Arrange the cleanup

    If there is blood, body fluids or decomposition, a registered trauma scene cleanup company can do the work. You can call from the funeral home, from a relative's house, or anywhere else.

  7. Sort out payment

    Look at insurance, the estate and, if a crime was involved, CalVCB. See who pays for cleanup.

Small things that help

In the first day or two

  • Ask a friend or relative to make calls with you or for you.
  • Keep a notebook of who you spoke with, the case number from police, and the funeral home's contact.
  • Close the door to the room and turn the air conditioning or heat to a moderate setting; leave the rest to the cleanup company.
  • Do not throw anything away from the room yet; some items may be needed, and some may be worth keeping.
  • If the person rented, tell the landlord early.

Questions

After a death: questions

Do I have to clean the room myself?

No. Families are not expected to do this, and a registered company can do all of it.

Why is there a 'pending' death certificate?

When an investigation takes longer, the medical examiner issues a pending death certificate so it does not hold up funeral arrangements. Source: OME FAQs.

Can I see my relative at the medical examiner's office?

The office says families should arrange viewing with their funeral home or mortuary. Source: OME FAQs.

If the room needs cleaning

Cleanup by situation

When you are ready

One call to a cleanup company that serves Stockton

Say what happened, where, and roughly when. The company will ask a few questions, explain what the work involves and arrange a visit if you want one.

Talk to a biohazard cleanup company

Your call is connected with an independent cleanup company that works in Stockton and San Joaquin County. You can ask questions first. There is no obligation to book.

Call (209) 555-0161

Lines answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Calls may be recorded. Read the referral disclosure and the privacy policy.

Call (209) 555-0161