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Mahoning autopsies moved to Cuyahoga County in Dr. Ohr’s absence
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Autopsies that need to be performed by the Mahoning County Coroner’s office are being performed in Cuyahoga County because of the illness of Mahoning’s forensic pathologist and deputy coroner.
Coroner Dr. David Kennedy said Dr. Joseph Ohr, who performs autopsies in Mahoning County, has been ill for several weeks. Dr. Kennedy said he was not sure when Dr. Ohr will return.
“I’m very hopeful he’ll [Dr. Ohr] come back, but I don’t know,” Dr. Kennedy said.
Dr. Kennedy said he did not want to comment on Dr. Ohr’s illness because of privacy laws.
In the past, Cuyahoga County has performed autopsies for Mahoning County when Dr. Ohr has been unavailable or on vacation, Dr. Kennedy said.
“They’ve always covered for us,” Dr. Kennedy said.
Cuyahoga County is charging $1,275 per autopsy, Dr. Kennedy said. The county has to pay an additional $275 to transport a body to Cuyahoga County.
Dr. Kennedy said although autopsies are moved to Cleveland, he said other aspects of death investigations remain in Mahoning County.
Dr. Kennedy said he does not yet know if he will need a replacement for Dr. Ohr.
Commissioner Carol Rimedio-Righetti said she and her colleagues have not yet heard from Dr. Kennedy as to whether he needs to hire a new person.
Dr. Ohr is a Boardman native and began working for the county in 2009. He came to Mahoning County from Franklin County, where he was a forensic pathologist.
Besides autopsies, Dr. Ohr’s duties include testifying in court, preparing reports and ruling on the causes and manner of a person’s death.