Buncombe County doesn’t have any legal control over how its morgue is run, elected officials say, countering state health department statements in an Asheville Watchdog report that found more than 100 bodies had been released from Mission Hospital to funeral homes without legally required examinations.
Buncombe County’s manager and two commissioners cited limitations in state law when asked if there was anything that should be done to prevent more bodies being released from Mission without a required review. The HCA Healthcare-owned hospital operates the morgue for Buncombe and Madison counties.
“When I came to Buncombe, an early priority was establishing a written contract to ensure we were in compliance with NCGS. § 130A-381,” said County Manager Avril Pinder via email, referring to the state statute that requires each county to provide or contract for facilities to store and inspect bodies needing medical examiner review.
“Through our contract with Mission/HCA, we provide or contract an appropriate facility for the examination and storage of bodies under Medical Examiner jurisdiction. We do not have a statutory role in oversight/supervision of morgue operations/medical examiners or the release of the bodies to the next of kin,” said Pinder, who started her role in 2019…