Coroner Fowler on new morgue: “The public deserves it”
The facility is estimated to finished by the end of 2024
DOUGHERTY COUNTY, Ga. – “I’m so happy that we have gotten to this point in moving forward with the morgue,” said Dougherty County Coroner, Michael Fowler who is feeling grateful this week after the Dougherty County Commission approved his almost 5-year-old proposal for a new morgue.
For the past 11 years, he has had to use a morgue smaller than most 700 square foot apartments.
Responding to 125 cases in the first 111 days in 2023 and more cases than days of the year in 2022 (480), the need for space is finally being fulfilled.
“Our morgue now has room for three tables. sometimes we have to go and stack a deceased person on this rack. It’s very difficult to stack a 200 or 300 pound person on the rack or life them up to put them on the rack.. Many people have gotten hurt just trying to put a body up there and you have to have more hands to help do that. So, this is a better place to help do that,” said Fowler.
This $1.3 million facility will improve his everyday work life by conjoining his office and morgue into one building and providing an educational space for his six interns.
However, his priority at the center of this project is the grieving families he faces, daily.
“One of the features about this new morgue, families will be able to come view their loved one. We’re going to have a window where they can view them and not necessarily have to go into the lab. The public deserves it, to have a nice place for their loved one to go and have to come and view them instead of going to a morgue where there’s other remains and smell… I think it’s a plus win,” Fowler explained.
$400,000 will be provided by the county SPLOST funds to build the morgue. It’s subject to break ground off Newman Road in an estimated 6 months and be completed by the end of 2024.
Mary Alex Anders reporting.
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