Boone County Coroner's Office

Boone County Coroner Rebecca Wigget

Boone County Courthouse
615 N. Main Street
Belvidere, IL 61008

Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Phone: 815-544-4470
Fax: 815-547-7685
E-Mail: coroner@boonecountyil.org

The Boone County Coroner's Office exists to provide the people of Boone County with a thorough investigation in the event of a death, pursuant to the Illinois State Statute. This investigation may include, but is not limited to, autopsy, toxicology tests, metabolic studies, x-rays, entomological studies, and personal as well as psychiatric history. These procedures are done to insure that the facts surrounding the death are brought forward, and if an Inquest* is held, the jury will have as many facts as possible to arrive at a manner of death.

(*Inquests are conducted for those deaths determined to be other than natural or deaths that are suspicious in nature.)

In addition, the Coroner is the Conservator of Peace and acts as the Sheriff should a vacancy occur in that office.

State of Illinois Requirements:
The State of Illinois requires that the Coroner investigate a death if it is:

Sudden or violent death (whether apparently suicidal, homicidal, or accidental), including but not limited to deaths apparently caused or contributed to by thermal, traumatic, chemical, electrical, or radiational injury, or a complication of any of them, by drowning or suffocation, anesthetic deaths or therapeutic misadventures.
Maternal or fetal death due to criminal abortion, or any death due to a sex crime against nature.
Death where the circumstances are suspicious, obscure or mysterious, or where ( in the written opinion of the attending physician) the cause of death is not determined.
Death were addiction to alcohol or to any drug may have been a contributory cause.
Death without medical attendance by a licensed physician. The Illinois Coroners/Medical Examiners Association and the Advisory Board on Necropsy Service to Coroners have recommended that medical attendance must have been rendered with 72 hours prior to death.)
In the case of death without medical attendance involving a member of church which relies upon prayer or spiritual means alone for healing, the Coroner should not rely upon such membership alone as sufficient evidence for signing the death certificate, nor should he use that fact alone for ordering an autopsy. When it is made known to him that such a person has died, he should go at once to the place where the body is and thereupon determine the facts as he/she would for any other investigation prior to the releasing of the body to the funeral director.
Hospice cases.
Firemen working fires, that die within 30 days that fire (because of all chemically treated fabrics, etc.)

Should you need the Coroner, please call the number listed above. If there is no one available, please call 815-544-2144, and they will page the Coroner or a Deputy Coroner to assist you.

Cremation Permits cost $10.00*
*Must have permit fee and Medical Death Certificate to have Cremation Permit issued. No bodies will be released without the proper paperwork.
PLEASE NOTE: An Appointment is necessary for signing Death Certificates to have Cremation Permits issued.

Certified Death Certificates are available at:
Belvidere City Clerk's Office 119 S. State Street
Belvidere, Illinois 61008
815-544-2612

The cost for a Certified Death Certificate: $14.00 for first copy,
then $6.00 for each copy after.

Disclaimer The information on this site is meant to provide an additional source of news about the Boone County Board and its activities. It is subject to change and is not a substitute for any official agenda, statement or official meeting. All notice requirements must still be done in accordance with the existing law and those citizens who discuss issues before the Boone County Board should follow the established procedure. For any further questions, please call the County Administration Office at (815) 547-4770.

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