Dialling 112 first
Georgia has a single emergency number, 112, and one call to it brings an ambulance, the police and other rescue services. Give the operator the essentials calmly and briefly: the address, what you found, whether the person is breathing and when they were last seen alive. If you are not certain that life has ended, the operator can talk you through first aid step by step. Keep the phone close and do not tie up the line with other conversations: the crew may ring back to confirm the exact address or the entry code for the building.
Leave the body and the room as they are
In a sudden death the most natural impulse is to lay the person on the bed, close their eyes, straighten their clothes or tidy the room. In this situation, though, it is better to change nothing until the doctor and the police arrive: not the position of the body, not the objects around it, not the medicine packets on the table. Those details help the doctor and the investigator understand quickly what happened, and they make the whole procedure simpler for everyone. The only exceptions are attempts to save a life, which always come first, and anything the operator asks you to do.
The ambulance doctor at the scene
The ambulance doctor confirms the death, examines the body and asks the relatives about the person's health: which illnesses they had, what medication they were taking, whether they had complained of anything in recent days. If you can, have medical records, prescriptions and medicine boxes ready. When the person had a serious chronic illness and the doctor sees it as the explanation for the death, things may follow the ordinary route. If the cause is unclear, the doctor informs the police, if officers are not already on the spot.
The role of the police
After a sudden death the police inspect the scene, draw up a report and talk to the relatives and to whoever found the body. They may take photographs, note where things were lying and ask to see documents. This is routine, not an accusation. All you need to do is answer their questions as well as you can, without worrying if you cannot remember something exactly. Write down the name and phone number of the officer handling the case, or the case number if they give it to you. Those are the details you will rely on over the next few days, whatever comes up.
When a forensic medical examination is ordered
The decision to order a forensic medical examination rests with the investigators, not with the family and not with the funeral home. As a rule it is ordered when the cause of death is unknown, when there are signs of injury, when the person was young and had no illness, or when the death may be connected with an accident, violence or poisoning. The aim is to establish the truth, and very often the family, too, needs to know exactly what happened. In that case the body is taken from the scene to the forensic institution in the manner the investigation decides.
The family's right to information
The family can find out where the body is, who is responsible for the case and roughly when it can be collected. Put your questions to the investigator directly and politely, and if possible always through the same relative, so that information does not get muddled along the way. How and when you can read the examination findings depends on the nature of the case, so ask when and in what form that will be possible. If legal questions come up, for example about liability or compensation, turn to a lawyer: a funeral home does not handle those matters.
Waiting: how long the procedure takes
The family's first question is always the same: when will we be able to take our loved one home? Only the investigator and the forensic expert can give a precise answer. In straightforward cases the procedure usually does not drag on, while complicated cases, extra laboratory tests or weekends make the wait longer. Meanwhile the family can already handle whatever is independent of the body: choosing a cemetery, speaking to the church, finding a place for the memorial meal - known in Georgian as kelekhi - plus the coffin and the clothes. Confirm and announce the funeral date only once you know when the release will happen.
Release of the body after the examination
When the examination is complete, the body is handed over to the family or to the funeral home they have chosen. This usually requires the ID of a close relative, a document belonging to the deceased and the consent of the investigation, although it is wise to check the exact list in advance. At this stage the family also receives the medical certificate of death, which is then presented at a Public Service Hall - many Georgians still call it the House of Justice, the state centre where civil records are kept - so that the death can be recorded officially. We can take over the death paperwork instead of the family, so that a single person deals with the investigator, the expert and the registry office, and your relatives are spared a stream of extra phone calls.
Preparing the body after an examination
Many people are frightened by the thought of how their loved one will look after an examination. When an experienced specialist does the work, the body is prepared so that it can lie with dignity in an open coffin at the farewell: restorative techniques, carefully chosen clothing and discreet cosmetics all play a part. This is work that calls for experience and a steady hand, and its whole purpose is for the family to remember their person with a peaceful face. You can read more on our page about dressing and preparing the deceased. If the injuries were severe, we tell the family honestly and in advance what can be achieved and what cannot.
Religious families and autopsy
In some religious traditions, Islam and Judaism among them, the integrity of the body and a swift burial carry enormous weight, so an autopsy is especially painful for the family. If your relatives follow such a tradition, tell the investigator and the expert in your very first conversation, calmly and clearly. Ask what is possible in your particular case and what timescale is involved. The final decision stays with the investigation, but a family position voiced in good time is always better than silence. It helps a great deal if a cleric or a representative of your community, someone able to explain the tradition, joins the conversation.
Dying in the street or another public space
If someone dies in the street, in a shop, on public transport or in a park, the family often learns about it from the police or a hospital, sometimes several hours later. In such cases the body is, as a rule, taken from the scene to a forensic institution or a clinic, and relatives are asked to make an identification. Identification is one of the most emotionally draining moments of all, so bring along someone who can stand beside you. Ask where the person's belongings and documents are being kept and whom to approach to have them returned.
Death at the workplace
If someone dies at work, especially as the result of an accident, the police investigate the incident, and sometimes other agencies become involved as well. The family has every right to ask the employer what happened, who was present and whom to contact for further information. Keep every document and letter the employer sends you: they may be needed later for insurance or compensation claims. On those questions it is best to consult a lawyer, and the organisation of the ceremony can be entrusted to a funeral home, so that two heavy burdens do not fall on your shoulders at the same time.
Road traffic accidents
After a road accident the police lead the investigation, and forensic examinations are common after crashes of this kind. Besides the question of the body, the family may also have to deal with the car and with personal belongings, which may not be handed back until the investigation is closed. Where there are injuries, preparing the body takes more time and craftsmanship, and relatives should ask early on whether a farewell with an open coffin will be possible. If the accident happened on a highway near another town, the funeral home brings your loved one back once the release has been signed off.
Taking the body out of the home
If the sudden death happened at home and no examination was ordered, then once the doctor and police have left, the family decides whether their loved one stays at home or is taken away for preparation. Carrying a body out of a flat, particularly down a narrow staircase or from a high floor with no lift, can only be done with proper equipment and an experienced team. Our crew does this gently and as unobtrusively as possible. You will find the details on the page about removing the deceased from home. If an examination has been ordered, it is the investigation that decides how the body is moved.
Shock: what is happening inside you
A sudden loss affects the body as well as the mind: hands tremble, thoughts get tangled, some people weep while others stay surprisingly composed and move as if on autopilot. Both reactions are normal. During the first days, avoid big financial decisions and do not sign any paper you have not read to the end. Ask one dependable person to take over communication with the police, the funeral home and the wider family, and give yourself permission to grieve. If the shock does not ease for a long time, or you are troubled by sleeplessness or panic, see a doctor or a psychologist.
Children and older family members
Unexpected news is particularly hard on children and elderly parents. Give a child the simple truth in words that suit their age rather than an invented story, and do not leave them alone amid police officers and the bustle of strangers: let a relative take them into another room or back to their own home for a while. An elderly relative is better told in person, sitting next to them, rather than over the phone, with someone close by to watch how they are coping. If they have a heart condition, keep their medicines and their doctor's number within reach.
Checklist: the first hours and days
- Ring 112 and follow the operator's instructions.
- Touch nothing at the scene until the doctor and the police arrive.
- Gather the deceased's documents and your own, plus any medical records.
- Note the investigator's name, phone number and the case details.
- Find out whether an examination will be ordered and where the body is being taken.
- Choose a funeral home and pass on the investigator's contact.
- Plan whatever does not depend on the body, and fix the date only after the release.
- Look after yourself and the most vulnerable members of the family.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need to call the police separately if a loved one dies suddenly at home?
Ringing 112 and describing the situation is enough. The operator decides which services to send, and when a death is sudden the police, as a rule, also come to the address.
Can the family refuse a forensic examination?
Whether an examination takes place is decided by the investigation. The family can state its position and any religious considerations and ask what is possible, but the investigator has the last word. For a definite answer, speak to the investigator or to a lawyer.
How long does a forensic examination take?
It varies with the complexity of each case. In simple cases the body is usually released fairly quickly, while additional tests extend the timeline. The investigator or the expert will tell you the exact timing.
Can we set the funeral day in advance?
You can start preparing, but it is better to announce the date publicly only once the release time has been confirmed. That way you will not have to notify all the guests a second time.
Is an open-coffin farewell still possible after an examination?
In most cases yes, provided an experienced specialist prepares the body. Where injuries are severe, the funeral home will tell the family honestly what is possible and suggest an alternative, such as a partly closed coffin with a large portrait.
Who collects the body from the forensic service?
The funeral home the family has chosen. Relatives give the funeral home the investigator's contact, and the funeral home agrees the release time and drives the body to the family home, to a hall or to be prepared.
Our relative lived alone and was found several days later. What happens then?
In this situation an examination is often ordered, because the time and cause of death have to be established. Preparing the body requires special care, and we may advise the family to choose a closed coffin. It is also worth thinking ahead about having the flat professionally cleaned.
In the days after a sudden loss, one calm voice means a great deal. Even before you meet the investigator, our duty coordinator will hear you out; reach them through +995 568 33 03 18 whenever the need arises. They will suggest the next step and take the conversations with the forensic service and the Public Service Hall off your hands.