Class Overview

Sponsoring Agency: OPOA & Albany Police Dept. Overview: Students will learn about current best practice guidelines for infant death investigation, as well as specific challenges that are faced by LE investigators. Case review examples will be used to explore critical investigation components with a focus on consistent, meticulous, and compassionate investigation of these complex and challenging cases. Students will also be introduced to infant growth & development considerations as well as the importance of medical & social history acquisition. The roles of both patrol first responders and detectives will be addressed. Collaboration with medical and medicolegal death investigation professionals will be emphasized. Instructors: Kristine Karcher, BSN D-ABMDI has served as the Chief DME, and Forensic Nurse Examiner for Coos County, Oregon for 25 years. She received her BSN from Oregon Health Sciences University and Masters level Certificate in Forensic Nursing from University of Colorado in Colorado Springs, CO. She is an adjunct professor at the UC Riverside online Forensic Nursing Program and serves as a member of the Oregon’s State Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force Medical/Forensic Committee. Kris has maintained Registry Certification Diplomate status with the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (D-ABMDI) since 1999. She represented Oregon at the 2008 CDC SUIDI National Training Academy and teaches regularly on the topic of infant death investigation. She is enthusiastic about sharing her experiences and knowledge to better provide a thorough, organized, and professional investigation of all infant deaths. Jennifer Snippen PhD MA BSN F-ABMDI is the past Chief DME for Linn & Benton Counties and a past instructor for the Linn Benton CC Criminal Justice program, UC Riverside Forensic Nursing Program, Oregon State Medicolegal Death Investigator Program & the Oregon State University eCampus Anthropology program. She is now on the Anatomy & Physiology Faculty at Lane CC. Jennifer maintains Board Certified Fellow status with the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (F-ABMDI). She has earned a Masters degree studying LE experiences of infant death investigation and a PhD studying US death investigation practices. Jennifer teaches regularly on the this topic and is dedicated to improving infant death investigation outcomes for affected families & LE agencies and the greater criminal justice & scientific communities.

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