June 22, 2016
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jane Jorgensen
Jane.Jorgensen@snoco.org
425-438-6212
Snohomish County Launches “Unidentified/Unclaimed Remains” Website
Increases Possibility of Identifying Missing People
EVERETT, Snohomish County—Today, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner launched a new website to assist in identifying unclaimed or unidentified remains. For those who are searching for missing family members, it may provide a resource for—and ultimately a resolution to—their uncertainty.
“We know the anguish that a family feels when a loved one is missing. We hope that by providing an easy-to-use on-line tool, we may be able to have families reunited with the remains of their missing loved ones,” said the Snohomish County Medical Examiner, Dr. Daniel Selove. “By providing closure, we may be able to answer the questions that families have been asking. In addition, it will make for more accurate and discrete searches by family members and investigators.”
Prior to the launch of the website, there was no way for families to access information unless they called the Medical Examiner’s Office. An online resource will provide the most accurate possible search and assist Snohomish County in identifying those who have died yet remain unidentified or unclaimed.
The “unclaimed” are cases where the person is identified but no next of kin has been located. There have been approximately 270 “unclaimed” cases since 2001, of which 42 have been resolved. The “unidentified” are those cases where no identity has been established. There are currently 14 unidentified cases from 1956 to 2015. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner will continue to pursue every means of resolving these cases.
You can access the website here.