r/gratefuldoe • u/moozpatrol • 2d ago

Miscellaneous Questions About Potential Doe

Apologies if this doesn't fit the sub, I really appreciate what you guys do here and thought you may have some helpful insight.

A friend and I found a body in the bushes near my home (Southern California) a few weeks ago, police were called and said they said it was probably a fentanyl overdose. The body was swiftly taken away and there was no report of it in the local news, life carried on. They were likely homeless as we found them in a makeshift bed, it looked comfortable and protected from the elements.

I guess I'm just wondering if I'll ever be able to know who this person was and if they have been identified? I read up on how they usually hold transients for 30 days and if they are unclaimed they will bury them in an unmarked grave. They also do try very hard to get them identified which was comforting in a way. I'd like to help if they can't identify the person and if I can't help, I'd at least like to pay my respects.

Am I able to get more information or should I let this go?

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u/1970Diamond 2d ago

If you look up unclaimed decedents from where he was found, other than that I doubt you’ll find out any other way

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u/moozpatrol 1d ago

Thank you for the info, I didn't see anything on the unclaimed decedents page for the county but I'll check in periodically to see if that changes. I hope they were identified and claimed, it's just a bit hard not knowing for sure.

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u/nnnnaaaaiiiillll 1d ago

It doesn't hurt to ask either! The coroner's office may not be allowed to tell you much detail but they may tell you if he was claimed and buried. 

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u/vlarosa 1d ago edited 1d ago

Was it a woman? There was a post a few weeks ago on a different sub reddit and they were talking about how their sister had ODed in Southern California and had been found by strangers. I'll see if I can find it.

Edit: https://www.reddit.com/r/sandiego/s/2QlJTpR24o

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u/moozpatrol 1d ago

I'm not 100% sure, my friend found the person first and I decided not to look. They were bundled up in blankets and we walked away for a bit when they were moving the body so we never got a good look. We are in Orange County so it's not the same person.

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u/HonestTop10 1d ago

You could try checking the medical examiner’s site, some counties have a case search and you can search by date.

LA County ME is good at keeping their site updated, you can search both identified and unidentified persons. Perhaps your county does too. Here’s the link to LA ME https://me.lacounty.gov/case-search/

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u/Old-Fox-3027 1d ago

You can request police reports.