VINCENNES — The Knox County Coroner’s Office is reaching out to the public for assistance in locating the family of a local woman who passed away earlier last week.
Officials identified the deceased as 79-year-old Diana Jody Carson. Ms. Carson passed away from natural causes on Monday, March 24, while under hospice care at a nursing facility in Vincennes. Her last known residence was located on East Sycamore Street.
While authorities have been in communication with Ms. Carson’s designated power of attorney and several of her known friends, investigators have so far been unable to identify or contact any legal next of kin.
The Coroner’s Office is legally required to make an exhaustive effort to notify biological or legal family members before final arrangements can be processed. In Indiana, if no next of kin is located after a specific period, the responsibility for final arrangements falls to the county, often resulting in a simplified indigent burial or cremation.
How You Can Help
Anyone who may have information regarding Ms. Carson’s family members, or who can provide details about her genealogy or distant relatives, is urged to contact the authorities immediately.
- Contact: Knox County Coroner’s Office
- Phone: (812) 885-2511
- Purpose: To ensure Ms. Carson’s final arrangements can be handled according to her family’s wishes.
Understanding the Role of the Coroner
In Indiana, the County Coroner is an elected official responsible for investigating deaths that occur under specific circumstances, including those that are sudden, accidental, or, as in this case, when a person passes away without immediate family present to claim them.
The office works closely with local law enforcement and genealogy experts to ensure that every resident is laid to rest with dignity and that all legal notification protocols are met.
