The cake was taken into the conference area, which also served as the office lunch room, where it wasshared by morgue workers and supervisors. Contact Emma Stein: estein@freepress.com and follow her on Twitter @_emmastein. "I have witnessed co-workers crying at their desks, crying in the parking lot, and crying in the bathroom of the building," her complaint states. Key Information Hours Staff are available to take your calls Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. at 586-469-5214. Justice was served today for little Amar," said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido. Please contact the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office at 313-833-2504 to find out how to obtain a copy of the autopsy report. The area the county should look at is the chain of command that oversees the Medical Examiners Office, which falls under the county Health Department. Both Kettlewell and Fetting were arraigned Wednesday (Feb. 1) at 41B District Court. Hackel requested more control over that part of the operation. Phone: (323) 343-0512. The Macomb Daily reported that the four employees, a group comprised of a two morgue technicians, an investigator and the manager, were fired on Thursday following a July 18 complaint issued by another employee. At a Friday morning news conference held at the offices of the Communications and Technology Center and Roads Department in Mount Clemens, Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel announced two. "She began to laugh and stated, 'Yes, I did,' " the complaint states. Assistant prosecutors John Pietrofesa and Andrew McGarrow tried the case, calling . A fourth employee remains on paid administrativeleave as investigators continue to questionformer employees about allegations involving racist and sexist behavior in the office. "The office culture is tainted with racism toward people of color. She was terminated because she failed to pass her probationary period and was told by McKinnon she was provided the countys standard letter for that type of termination, the lawsuit says. Posted on 21 novembre 2021; By; country music lifestyle (0) Comment. Macomb County deputies were called at about 8 a.m. Sunday to the . The 50-year-old man and 32-year-old woman, both morgue technicians, were dismissed following a Sheriffs Office investigation into 20 missing hydrocodone pills that should have made it to the evidence room but did not. According to McKinnon, the current investigation does not involvechief Medical Examiner Dr. Daniel Spitz, who is a contract employee with the county. Location Robinette Struckel, a former morgue technician in the county Medical Examiners Office, in November 2020 sued the county, a county official, a now-retired county official, and the medical examiner and his company on allegations of violation of her First Amendment right to free speech, the state Whistleblowers Protection Act and public policy. According to the Oakland County Medical Examiner's Officer, Robertson died from multiple blunt force injuries. He or she then prepares a written autopsy report. Watch the 5 p.m. news live right now on Local 4+. Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office Officers caught up with Carnell Franklin-Smith, 34, and Benjamin Pearce, 29, who had been at the house the day before to transport James Davis' body to the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office. Both employees were fired in December. And to prevent this from happening again, the sheriff's office will take custody of medical inventory going forward because they have a better inventory process. Re: Covid Entry Requirements - Amsterdam. Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office . "Are they a black family?" Vital Records Request Form Download the Macomb County Vital Records Request Form and Instructions (PDF) The Macomb County morgue is buriedin scandalinvolving allegationsof all sorts: Employeesmocked Blacks inquiring about loved ones' deaths, hung pornographyin the office, bullied women who complained and recently brought in a birthdaycake frosted with male genitalia artfor fun, according to a formal complaint. (CBS DETROIT) - Two Macomb County workers are charged after stealing drugs from the medical examiner's office. Macomb Daily 3 Woman accused of starving baby to death in Warren rejects plea Shantavia Hayden, 29, who is charged with second-degree murder for the death of her three-month-old daughter,. Spitzs inactive role in management was clarified in the new deal approved last December effective Jan. 1. 5MOUNT CLEMENS A former investigator with the Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office is suing the directors of multiple county agencies, claiming they allowed a work environment that . The office identifies bodies, notifies the next of kin, and returns personal belongings to the family. According to the prosecutor's office, Hayden brought her 7-month-old son A'Mar Griffin, to Childrens Hospital of Michigan in Detroit on Oct. 11, 2020. Please enter valid email address to continue. I dont even have access, nor want access, to the property room.. MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. - A woman and a man who worked at the Macomb County Morgue have been charged for stealing drugs off of bodies, prosecutors said. Macomb County officials on Thursday will consider settling a federal lawsuit filed over two years ago by a former morgue employee who claims she was fired for reporting health and safety. The individual defendants knew Struckel was engaging in free speech because she told each her suspicions and the imminent dangers of disease posed to those who visited the morgue, employees, their families and community, the complaint states. The death investigator asked why that was permitted, but got no response. Morgue employees often. The Macomb County Health Department operates the Medical Examiner's (ME) office, which is charged with investigating deaths due to violence, accidents and those not attended by a physician. See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for Macomb County Morgue locations in Adair, MI. An anonymous tip received in April 2022 led the sheriff's office to investigate Fetting and Kettlewell. Authorities said the office takes medications and narcotics from people who have died as part of the death investigation. "Its despicable that a mother would starve her child to death. The two employees fired for taking drugs were investigated, the results of which were provided to the county Prosecutors Office, which did not return a request Monday for an update on the case. Two Macomb County employees were fired after allegedly stealing drugs from the medical examiner's office, county officials announced at a news conference Friday. They'll just say they were upset,' " states the complaint. A man working for a company contracted by the Wayne County morgue is accused of breaking into a home of a deceased person he reportedly helped transport the day prior. 43585 Elizabeth Road, Mt. The new language was instituted following a scandal at the same facilty in which three morgue employees were fired in July 2020 for sexist and potentially racist behavior. Three female morgue employees were fired Thursday following a due-processhearing, according to county officials. More:Many families could see drastically smaller tax refunds in 2023: Heres why, More:Oxford school officials: Ethan Crumbley's parents never refused to take him home. The death investigator recalled one of the morgue workers telling her: "Show them a picture of his penis. Drug-related deaths have been a significant problem over the past several years and hit an all-time high in 2017 (380 deaths). Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, three female employees with the Medical Examiner's office were fired last week for alleged workplace misbehavior that one workersays went on for at least five years. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. The Medical Examiner's office also determines whether or not autopsies should be conducted. In 2018, the most recent year for which data are available, the Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office investigated 3,061 deaths, performed 531 complete autopsies, 121 external examinations. Third party advertisements support hosting, listing verification, updates, and site maintenance. The Medical Examiner's office also determines whether or not autopsies should be conducted. First of all they are requirements of the country, the Netherlands, to enter the Netherlands and are not municipal requirements to enter the city of Amsterdam. The prosecutor also said Hayden had received $15,000 in jobless benefits in four months plus food stamps and cash assistance from the state. The EEOC does not comment on investigations. Two former employees of Michigan's Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office stand accused of stealing drugs from bodies at the morgue. Was she whining, overly sensitive? In 2013, the county Board of Commissioners balked at renewing his contract after former employees accused Spitz of a tyrannical regime and forcing them out after he took over. / CBS Detroit. Find 24 listings related to Macomb County Morgue in Adair on YP.com. Fetting and Kettlewell were bothfired from the medical examiner's office. The board ultimately approved new contracts that year and in 2017. A fourth employee a manager is on paid-leave, according to The Macomb Daily, after the four employees reportedly displayed pornographic photos in the office and on their computers. I mean, as large as the sheriffs office is -- I have four people that have access to our property room. Mail to Macomb County Clerk, Attn: Death Records, 120 North Main, Mount Clemens, MI 48043. 2. There was one gunshot wound to the head entering on the right cheek . Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, The Detroit Free Press reported. The new contract includes an opt-out with a 90-day notice, Hackel said, and it gives the county more control over contracted work. Find 13 external resources related to Macomb County Medical Examiner & Coroner. They both received $5,000 personal bonds and will be back in court in May. Prescription drugs were being brought to the medical examiners property room alongside bodies -- for example, if a death was being investigated as a possible overdose. Over the last five years, the death investigator says she's been forced to work in a cliquey environment where sex is often joked about, especially male genitalia. A pathologist who studies the cause and effects of disease and injury, then gathers specimens of the organs and body fluids for testing. The Medical Assistant assists in the examination and treatment of patients under the direction of a physician. When those families show up at the morgue, she says, "I havebeen told, 'Go deal with your people,' ". Spitz took over the medical examiner role in the mid-2000s, following in the footsteps of his well-known father, Dr. Werner Spitz. The county signed a new contract with an office management company to oversee the process. "I was like, 'this is never gonna change,' so I filed a complaint with the EEOC and with HR," she told the Free Press. FOX 2 Detroit. Read more Health - Medical Examiner Fees The following death benefits are deducted from the SER payment: "Were supposed to set an example. Hackel said they do not believe the employees were working together, but were aware of what the other was doing. article. Find Macomb County Death Records Macomb County Death Records are documents relating to an individual's death in Macomb County, Michigan. Details of a proposed deal are not provided in meeting documents. airport searched following CSC allegation against aviation club member, ROUNDUP: L'Anse Creuse North finishes sixth in state competitive cheer finals, Warren City Council nixes Ryan Road condo plan, County Line Road closing over I-94 for bridge work in northern Macomb, Man with a beef for McDonald's workers in Richmond accused of threatening to shoot up eatery, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. She was told by a county lawyer she was not a good fit and was an at-will employee, the lawsuit says. The data and information on this website is made available by the Office of the Macomb County Clerk/Register of Deeds as a convenience to the public. An application for burial assistance must be made no later than 10 business days after the burial, cremation or donation takes place. The death investigator says multiple people have complained about the "unprofessional decorum" in the past, but to no avail. The employees made admissions to stealing other drugs from the chain of evidence process but were not responsible for the missing hydrocodone pills, officials said. "I felt that it was so egregious, so out of line and so brazenly conducted on a daily basis and nobody cared.". Autopsy report: Roseville man shot by police had five gunshot wounds, cut wounds on wrists . Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel said the medical examiners office had drugs so it could compare it to medication found in toxicology reports. Shantavia Hayden was convicted of second-degree murder in September after a two-week-long trial. When we hearthese types of allegations, we take them seriously and we take quick action.". "I was livid furious actually," the woman told the Free Press. The investigator noted that she did questionherself before coming forward. Regarding the new allegations, sheriffs investigators a few months ago followed up on a report of the missing pills. But nothing was ever done, not even after another person filed a sexual harassment complaint against the Macomb County morgue with the EEOC in 2016, alleging a hostile work environment. A supervisor at the Macomb County morgue has been fired in the wake of a sexism and racism scandal that has cost four women their jobs, and could jeopardize the contract of Chief Medical. The Free Press did not identify the individual, but described her as a death investigator who worked at the morgue as well as a person of color. The Macomb County Health Department operates the Medical Examiner's (ME) office, which is charged with investigating deaths due to violence, accidents and those not attended by a physician. The death investigator tells a different story. The county in July 2020 fired three county morgue employees for sexist and potentially racist behavior and late last year dismissed two others for allegedly stealing drugs collected from death scenes. In 2020, three employees were fired after alleged sexist and racist behavior, including a penis cake that showed up at the office the day after George Floyd's death. She moved her desk andvolunteered to work weekends to avoid contact with the employees. A Macomb County couple is facing murder charges in the Christmas Day death of their 18-month-old daughter who had enough fentanyl in her to kill several adults, authorities said Monday. Maybe they'll recognize him by that.". That employeea death investigator and person of color said she long wanted to report the offensive behavior, but feared retaliation so she stayed quiet. Commissioners wanted him to be more responsive to questions and expressed concerns about operations. 2023 FOX Television Stations, The heaviest snow is behind us heading into the weekend, Snow storm shuts down Detroit Metro Airport, Power outages hit Metro Detroit hard as winter storm pounds area, WATCH - Jennifer Hammond talks with Detroit Titans guard Antoine Davis after coming up just short of the NCAA all-time scoring record, Suspect still wanted after brutal beating of victims after they shoveled his snow last winter in Detroit, Inside the Paint Bus - an art studio on wheels born in Detroit, Disneyland banned Rebel Wilson over selfie, actress says, New 5G cell tower on Wyandotte elemntary school has parents livid as meeting turns hostile, Southeast Michigan weather: The latest totals and what to expect tonight. The Macomb County Health Department operates the Medical Examiner's (ME) office, which is charged with investigating deaths due to violence, accidents and those not attended by a physician. . 3 The Macomb County Morgue Credit: Macomb County Thats not a good policy to have with an evidence room, Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said. After lunch, the partially eaten cake was left on the counter. The prosecutor sad Hayden had enough food and financial assistance to keep the baby fed and had received 16 cans of formula during A'Mar's life - including seven of them just three days before he died. Nobody wants to terminate employees. During the probe, sheriffs investigators questioned the entire staff of 19. The complainant says she endured as much as she could until May of this year. Many families could see drastically smaller tax refunds in 2023: Heres why, Oxford school officials: Ethan Crumbley's parents never refused to take him home, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. They were fired. "We needed more control over what's going on with managing the facility, employees that are over there," Hackel said. In addition to the county, defendants include William Ridella, retired director of Macomb County Public Health; Deputy County Executive Andrew McKinnon, who was director of Human Resources at the time; and county Medical Examiner Dr. Daniel Spitz and his company, Spitz Pathology Group. Penis screen savers. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 43525 Elizabeth Road, Mount Clemens, MI 48043. The deal includes an opt-out with 90 days notice. Listed on 2023-03-02. According to the complainant, there have been "blatant and overt racist communications" among a supervisor and other employees who are all part of the sameoffice clique. In the same week that George Floyd was killed, a cake decorated with a Black penison it showed up in the conference room at the Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office. That really pushed me over the edge.". "The Macomb County Prosecutor's Office does not investigate and does not try cases in the media. For the second time in three years, employees have been fired from the Macomb County morgue for wrongful behavior. She said she heard a secretary ask a supervisorabout the cake: "Is that really a black penis cake in the conference room? Your source for Local information & breaking news across southeast Michigan plus 4Warn Weather providing you . "We dont want anyone working in a place thats unwelcoming, unsafe and not inclusive," said Macomb County Human Resources Director Andrew McKinnon. Posted: April 16, 2021. Jacob Kettlewell, 50, is accused of taking an occasional pill from the medical examiners office and consuming it, according to authorities. The complainant was told the Free Press that she wanted to report the conduct sooner but feared retalitation from co-workers. View map of Macomb County Medical Examiner & Coroner, and get driving directions from your location. THREE employees at a morgue in Michigan have been fired after a worker brought a cake decorated with an image of a black penis into the lunch room, according to a report. Both employees were fired in December. Macomb, MI. The facility was expanded in 2021. Prosecutors say Fetting allegedly took drugs from the medical examiner's office with the internet to sell, while Kettlewell took an occasional pill to consume. Another one alleging similar claims was filed in 2016 and is still pending. The Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office ruled her mom's death an overdose due to multiple prescription drugs. Address, Phone Number, and Fax Number for Macomb County Medical Examiner & Coroner, a Coroner & Medical Examiner, at Elizabeth Street, Clinton MI. If you would like to subscribe for text alerts please select Text Updates in the drop-down menu. Spitz declined comment. 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Fetting is charged with conspiracy with intent to deliver, delivery of Suboxone, delivery of Adderall, and larceny of a building. All Rights Reserved. 1 weather alerts 1 closings . Two Macomb County employees were fired after allegedly stealing drugs from the medical examiner's office, county officials announced at a news conference Friday. Two former Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office employees are facing charges in connection with the theft of prescription medications from storage. Struckel initially complained to Spitz and then to Ridella and McKinnon. "I find this conduct and these statements offensive and appalling," states the complaint, which also alleges numerous sexual harassment incidents. The data and information provided herein is intended for the private non-commercial use of the general public. Because of that, the county recently instituted improved protocols for the chain of evidence, and the property room has been moved to the nearby Sheriffs Office, officials said. . In 2020, three Macomb County Morgue employees were fired after allegations of sexual harassment and racism. Three female morgue workers were fired as part of the investigation last week. While authorities were interviewing all the employees, Fetting and Kettlewell admitted to pocketing drugs. 2 Macomb County Medical Examiner Daniel J. Spitz, M.D. How do I use public transport? I prepared the contract and submitted it to the county, he said. February 2, 2023 / 6:38 PM MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Two employees with the Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office are facing charges after authorities allege they stole drugs from people at the morgue. was a question she often heard when dealing with upset families, she said. Find 4 Coroners & Medical Examiners within 35.3 miles of Macomb County Medical Examiner & Coroner. Two former employees of the Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office were charged Wednesday with several crimes relating to stolen prescription medication from the morgue. Macomb County to consider settling lawsuit by, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Macomb County to consider settling lawsuit by fired morgue employee, Not again. She switched to thenight shift for awhile. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. The Medical Examiner's office will be closed on the following days: Medical Examiner - Frequently Asked Questions. Information found on CountyOffice.org is strictly for informational purposes and does not construe legal, financial or medical advice. Morgue employees often take medicine found at a crime scene to compare it to the result of a toxicology report, said Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel. During the trial, Medical Examiner Leigh Hlavaty testified that AMar had not been fed for at least seven days. Shantavia Hayden was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of her 7-month-old after the baby was starved to death in 2020. They learned the entire staff had access to the evidence room, which Hackel and Wickersham said is highly improper. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WXMI) The Kent County Medical Examiner ruled a 1-year-old's death a homicide, the Grand Rapids Police Department said Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Terreance Berg wrote In his 2021 ruling to dismiss the public-policy claim but maintain the free speech and whistleblower protection claims that Spitzs exact role was not clear but that he did have some influence in decision-making at the time of Struckels firing. The death investigator says that over the years, she has heard multiple racist and insensitive comments from staff when dealing with African American families who have come to the morgue to inquire about their loved ones. They discovered minimal oversight of the evidence room and the chain of custody for items, often drugs, taken from death scenes, officials said. The dispute is now in the hands of the U.S. They did note a separate incident where 20 hydrocodone pills went missing from the evidence room, but said they do not know who took them.