Feds help Maryland medical examiner clear autopsy backlog

BALTIMORE (AP) — Officials say a federal team has helped the Maryland medical examiner’s office clear a backlog of hundreds of bodies awaiting autopsies.

The Baltimore Sun reports that Maryland Department of Health spokesman Andy Owen said that as of Friday, no bodies were awaiting autopsy. The medical examiner’s office sought help last month in managing a backlog of more than 200 bodies. The office is responsible for determining the cause and manner of death if a person is not under the care of a physician, or if the death is unexpected or occurs under suspicious or unusual circumstances.

The office has been overseen by the acting chief since last month, when Dr. Victor Weedn resigned after a year on the job.

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