LOS ANGELES >> Significant under-staffing in the Los Angeles County coroner's office has led to a "sobering" backlog in toxicology and other testing that could threaten its accreditation by the end of the year, according to a civil grand jury report released today.
According to the report, problems in the county Department of the Medical Examiner-Coroner "can be attributed to too few budgeted positions, including direct and indirect support personnel, worker fatigue and burnout and to salary constraints that inhibit recruitment and retention of qualified professionals.