Suicide
What do I do immediately after a suicide?
Short answer
Call 911. Do not disturb the scene. Law enforcement and the coroner will respond. The coroner will take the body and conduct an investigation. Do not try to clean anything yourself before authorities clear the scene — there are professional trauma scene…
What this usually means
Call 911. Do not disturb the scene. Law enforcement and the coroner will respond. The coroner will take the body and conduct an investigation. Do not try to clean anything yourself before authorities clear the scene — there are professional trauma scene cleaners for this.
What to do next
- Start the PathAfter checklist for situation-aware first steps.
- Find California county phone numbers for coroner, vital records, and local offices.
- Open the First 72 Hours Call Log before making calls.
- Open the Documents to Find Checklist when you are ready for paperwork.