DEATH INVESTIGATION ABMDI EXAM 2026
EVIDENCE COLLECTION AND CHAIN OF
CUSTODY DRILL PACK ANSWER SHEET
◉ You work as an investigator for the medical examiner's office. The
local high school sociology teacher has invited you to give a
presentation on "medicolegal death investigation." Which ONE of the
following topics would be MOST appropriate?
A."Autoerotic Deaths"
B."Suicide by Police"
C."Animal Deaths"
D."The Role of the Medical Examiner"
E."Turf Wars - Medical Examiner Investigators vs. Law Enforcement"
Answer: D
◉ Proper distribution and use of investigative reports include all of
the following EXCEPT which ONE?
A.preparing cases for court.
B.keeping other involved parties informed.
C.anticipating future needs for information.
D.providing medical information to the news media.
,E.helping a forensic pathologist determine the cause and manner of
death.
Answer: D
◉ A recent infant death you investigated has been termed a SIDS
death on the preliminary autopsy report. You, as the investigator,
must contact
A.the police chaplain who will relay the findings to the family.
B.the local SIDS Center and the local police agency.
C.the local police agency; wait on calling the SIDS center until the
cause of death has been finalized.
D.child protection services.
E.the district attorney's office.
Answer: B
◉ When one is writing descriptive information about a death scene,
the name, address, and telephone number of the decedent are all
part of the _____________ to be included in the case file.
A.family history information
B.chronological data
C.demographic information
D.medical data
E.graphic information
, Answer: C
◉ The public information officer (PIO) for your jurisdiction requests
information regarding an investigation for exclusive release. The
investigator should
A.advise the PIO of office policy and decline to provide information
that would not otherwise be provided to other news agencies.
B.provide the information because the PIO understands your
departmental policies and is usually fair in relasing information to
all news outlets.
C.advise the PIO of the information with added request that the
information not be released until a later specified date.
D.decline to provide information stating that the office will make its
own news release at a later time.
E.None of the above.
Answer: A
◉ A funeral director contacts you concerning the death of a local
physician's spouse. Upon discovering her dead, the physician called
the funeral director and requested that the body be immediately
removed to the funeral home. You should do all of the following
EXCEPT
A.follow your agency's policy consistent with home deaths.
B.instruct the funeral director not to remove the body.
C.explain your agency's home death procedures to the physician.
EVIDENCE COLLECTION AND CHAIN OF
CUSTODY DRILL PACK ANSWER SHEET
◉ You work as an investigator for the medical examiner's office. The
local high school sociology teacher has invited you to give a
presentation on "medicolegal death investigation." Which ONE of the
following topics would be MOST appropriate?
A."Autoerotic Deaths"
B."Suicide by Police"
C."Animal Deaths"
D."The Role of the Medical Examiner"
E."Turf Wars - Medical Examiner Investigators vs. Law Enforcement"
Answer: D
◉ Proper distribution and use of investigative reports include all of
the following EXCEPT which ONE?
A.preparing cases for court.
B.keeping other involved parties informed.
C.anticipating future needs for information.
D.providing medical information to the news media.
,E.helping a forensic pathologist determine the cause and manner of
death.
Answer: D
◉ A recent infant death you investigated has been termed a SIDS
death on the preliminary autopsy report. You, as the investigator,
must contact
A.the police chaplain who will relay the findings to the family.
B.the local SIDS Center and the local police agency.
C.the local police agency; wait on calling the SIDS center until the
cause of death has been finalized.
D.child protection services.
E.the district attorney's office.
Answer: B
◉ When one is writing descriptive information about a death scene,
the name, address, and telephone number of the decedent are all
part of the _____________ to be included in the case file.
A.family history information
B.chronological data
C.demographic information
D.medical data
E.graphic information
, Answer: C
◉ The public information officer (PIO) for your jurisdiction requests
information regarding an investigation for exclusive release. The
investigator should
A.advise the PIO of office policy and decline to provide information
that would not otherwise be provided to other news agencies.
B.provide the information because the PIO understands your
departmental policies and is usually fair in relasing information to
all news outlets.
C.advise the PIO of the information with added request that the
information not be released until a later specified date.
D.decline to provide information stating that the office will make its
own news release at a later time.
E.None of the above.
Answer: A
◉ A funeral director contacts you concerning the death of a local
physician's spouse. Upon discovering her dead, the physician called
the funeral director and requested that the body be immediately
removed to the funeral home. You should do all of the following
EXCEPT
A.follow your agency's policy consistent with home deaths.
B.instruct the funeral director not to remove the body.
C.explain your agency's home death procedures to the physician.
