Death records - morbid, maybe, but curious about "cause of death"

[suzy_q2010]

Originally Posted by robertpolyglot

With Facebook and other sites, such as those sponsored by the Mormons, as well as alumni magazines, you can see that some friends you grew up have died. They have died at a fairly young age, and some have young(er) families. On FB, they have memorial pages for said people.

Needless to say, this leaves one perplexed as to what happened. Without contacting the family and asking, is there a not very circuitous and inexpensive way to find "cause of death?" With about a handful of classmates, I'm wondering what happened. No need for criticism, I'm just seeking information.

Your best source would be other friends of the deceased. Someone who posted on a memorial site might know.

Sometimes an actual obituary might mention it.

[PJ1252]

Death certificates are public information. You can contact the Bureau of Vital Statics in the city or town they died in and request a copy as long as you know the exact date of death. Many cities now allow you to process these requests online and of course there is a fee involved.
They do list AIDS/HIV as a cause of death. The fact they had this disease allowed the presence of other health issues which is what they actually died from so that is what is listed on the death cert.

[suzy_q2010]

Originally Posted by PJ1252

Death certificates are public information. You can contact the Bureau of Vital Statics in the city or town they died in and request a copy as long as you know the exact date of death. Many cities now allow you to process these requests online and of course there is a fee involved.
They do list AIDS/HIV as a cause of death. The fact they had this disease allowed the presence of other health issues which is what they actually died from so that is what is listed on the death cert.

If you are not a relative, the cause of death may be redacted. I got certificates on everyone in my family who had one as part of my genealogy research. Even though I clearly stated my relationship to each deceased person, the cause of death was obliterated.

I had to go back and get copies that were complete. This was in GA. It may be different in other states.

Also, the fees can be pretty stiff for someone who is just curious.

[InsaneTraveler]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

Young people do die of illnesses. Suicide doesn't seem a fair assumption.

Maybe it makes a little sense. Two people from my high school graduating class (2006) have died. Even now, as I type in their deaths on google, it is very easy to find out how the boy died, but not the girl. The boy was run over by the guy who he was making a drug deal with. There are several websites dedicated to recognizing the girl's death and to remembering her, but I can't find anything on how she died. I found out two years ago that she hung herself in her room.

[LookinForMayberry]

Originally Posted by robertpolyglot

...is there a not very circuitous and inexpensive way to find "cause of death?" With about a handful of classmates, I'm wondering what happened. No need for criticism, I'm just seeking information.

My mother died last year and her death certificate listed her cause of death. The certificate had to be filed with the county clerk. I imagine you could call the County Clerk where your friend died and inquire.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by ker8

yeah, but when it's someone you went to school with, if they had cancer, etc, there's a nearly 100% chance you'd hear about it. I was under the impression the OP was talking about when nobody mentions/talks about how the person died.

And I don't know how many ppl in your social circle are on FB, but nearly 100% of my high school classmates are on, and even though I don't talk to a single one of them, nearly all of them have requested being friends (I don't seek out ppl I don't talk to). Therefore I can say with some certainty that if it were an illness/accidental, I'd hear about it. ppl put everything on social media anymore, I actually find it quite sad. No privacy...

I don't have "ppl" in my "social circle." I do have people in my life who are family, friends, and acquaintances. And yes, many are on FaceBook. But I am no doubt older than you. Neither I, nor my friends, live and die in social media, or feel the need to broadcast everything about ourselves.

[knort4]

4-11-2012 I sometimes have found myself curious about a cause of death as well and I don't think that it's morbid. You did not mention what state the death occurred in. If it is not mentioned in the obituary notice in the newspaper, then you can sometimes find it on the person's death certificate. Some states allow any member of the public the right to purchase someone's death certificate, and other states restrict that option only to immediate next-of-kin. You will have to look at the State Department of Health website for the applicable state you are interested in to look at the form for ordering death certificates to see if access is restricted to family or open to the general public. GENEALOGICAL RESEARCHER

[jodipper]

Our local paper used to list (maybe still does, online version doesn't have everything) the coroners reports about once a month. It would give the name and cause of death. Exact cause of death. Gunshot wound to head. Hanging. Overdose, Homicide etc.

When people are secretive about the cause of death, people wonder if something is being hidden. I have never refused to answer when someone asked how a parent or relative died. It's just curiosity.

[Tallysmom]

When you are younger and a person in your circle dies, you want to know why and how because with that information you can fool yourself into thinking it won't happen to you. As you get older, you think what can I do to prevent from going the way the deceased did.

But when you get elderly, you want to know which doctors to avoid.