What happens after a suicide death? Do the police come?

[bluevelvet]

I was just wondering what happens after you are discovered to have died by suicide? Do the police come and take your suicide letters away etc? I really want to make sure my letters go to the appropriate people, and they get instructions for how I want to be buried etc without being taken by the police.

 

[No longer suicidal😁]

Well, police will definitely show up as there is always a suspect of murder. An ambulance can't just simply show up at your place and take the body and leave.

 

[Forever Sleep]

There have been reports of notes not being passed on to loved ones but other times, they have been passed on. I don't really know the reasoning why some are and some aren't. Reckon I'll be sending my notes to my solicitor via delayed email though- just in case.

I imagine the police will definitely need to investigate. A suicide is an 'unnatural' death- I suppose there's always the possibility that foul play is involved. I would think- the sooner they rule this out, the less involved they get. I think a hand written note explaining that it was a self inflicted act plus ID plus a will and any wishes laid out would make their job quicker.

Still- I think it likely they would perform an autopsy. It's identification of the body that troubles me. My family are hundreds of miles away. Hopefully they can use dental records or my ID. Maybe I'll leave them my dentist's details!

 

[Soulless Angel]

See if I could be 100% sure I would sucedd id be posting those letters, to stop anyone else reading them first, but letters meh!

 

[LivvenDe]

You can also schedule emails to be sent in the future to the people you want... Google for "send email in the future"

 

[katagiri83]

There have been reports of notes not being passed on to loved ones but other times, they have been passed on. I don't really know the reasoning why some are and some aren't. Reckon I'll be sending my notes to my solicitor via delayed email though- just in case

You are correct @Forever Sleep, the solicitor option is a good mechanism if it's available or viable for someone. Otherwise, actually making copies of your notes / letters for coronial / police investigation maybe another option.

Have a read of the article below, there had also been other instances where the final letters were not released months after the incident because of the indifference and lack of empathy demonstrated by police in CTB cases:

Police failed to tell man's widow he left instructions for his funeral

Brian Alex Reynolds, known as Alex, was found dead at his home in Bury, at 8pm on March 9. A note left in his living room had contained his dying wishes, with a message to his wife Victoria.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[tchaik18401893]

I am so scared that the police will take my suicide notes and not give them back to my family. I am considering delayed emails, but I heard theres an algorithm for specific words related to suicide. I dont know how true that is though. I have signed my notes with my signature to possibly make it easier for police to identify it as a suicide. Maybe I could write a suicide note to the police asking to give the notes to my family. Im stressing out so much, even though afterwards i wouldnt even be alive.

 

[katagiri83]

Maybe I could write a suicide note to the police asking to give the notes to my family. Im stressing out so much, even though afterwards i wouldnt even be alive.

I can definitely resonate with your stress and it's horrible. If it's possible, make a set of copies of any physical notes, so investigators can take the originals or copies then one set can be requested to be left for your family. Your idea of specifying that in your note is good.

Either way, take your time to process your thoughts and hope things can be better for you.

 

[Wannagonow]

There have been reports of notes not being passed on to loved ones but other times, they have been passed on. I don't really know the reasoning why some are and some aren't. Reckon I'll be sending my notes to my solicitor via delayed email though- just in case.

I imagine the police will definitely need to investigate. A suicide is an 'unnatural' death- I suppose there's always the possibility that foul play is involved. I would think- the sooner they rule this out, the less involved they get. I think a hand written note explaining that it was a self inflicted act plus ID plus a will and any wishes laid out would make their job quicker.

Still- I think it likely they would perform an autopsy. It's identification of the body that troubles me. My family are hundreds of miles away. Hopefully they can use dental records or my ID. Maybe I'll leave them my dentist's details!

Not leaving any notes- I've said this before- blah blah blah. But I hadn't thought about how to ID me. Lived in my house over 20 years, but I'm sure the neighbors don't know my last name. I do have a will, healthcare proxy and assigned a power of attorney (planning to ctb for a long time now). But my family also lives hundreds of miles away- so they can't ID. Leaving a couple of IDs. Wow! Never thought of that. Thanks!!

 

[tchaik18401893]

I can definitely resonate with your stress and it's horrible. If it's possible, make a set of copies of any physical notes, so investigators can take the originals or copies then one set can be requested to be left for your family. Your idea of specifying that in your note is good.

Either way, take your time to process your thoughts and hope things can be better for you.

do you think i had an envelope labeled "for police"and an envelope labeled as "for family" theyd leave the one for family or would they have to take it as well?

 

[LastFlowers]

do you think i had an envelope labeled "for police"and an envelope labeled as "for family" theyd leave the one for family or would they have to take it as well?

They're going to take everything.
Best you could do is make sure your family has access to them digitally/virtually or put them in a location the police would never find first, then send a hint or instructions to that place/space where the letters are hidden.

Even if it's just a text "letters: location", don't even have to necessarily mention suicide, they should understand what it means unless they're incredibly dense or the type to pass that text off to police before they try to do something about it themselves.

Which brings on another question of mine…do cops ever go as far as to request looking into family member's texts or phones!?
Because that would be bad in my case.
One case in particular.

 

[tchaik18401893]

They're going to take everything.
Best you could do is make sure your family has access to them digitally/virtually or put them in a location the police would never find first, then send a hint or instructions to that place/space where the letters are hidden.

Even if it's just a text "letters: location", don't even have to necessarily mention suicide, they should understand what it means unless they're incredibly dense or the type to pass that text off to police before they try to do something about it themselves.

Which brings on another question of mine…do cops ever go as far as to request looking into family member's texts or phones!?
Because that would be bad in my case.
One case in particular.

i thought about putting the notes under the toothpaste lol

 

[Regen]

Yes, the police is coming. If they find a letter, it is easier for them to say that it was suicide. I think, they will give the letters back. Or you can make a double or another suicideletter which is hidden.