BALTIMORE

With the number of overdoses in the state growing, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is overwhelmed with cases.

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The office recently got the go-ahead to hire more staff to help with autopsies, and another office is also seeing an increase in bodies for a variety of reasons.

After 72 hours, bodies that are not claimed are under the control of the State Anatomy Board.

The State Anatomy Board is housed in the University of Maryland Medical Center. It is where unclaimed bodies end up, and according to its director, since fiscal year 2012, the number of bodies that end up there has gone up significantly.

"The deceased come to us because maybe the families don't have the economic means to make a claim and the deceased didn't have the insurance, and hadn't made any pre-arrangements," said Ron Wade, director of the State Anatomy Board.

The number of unclaimed bodies went from 1,029 in 2012 to 1,504 in fiscal year 2016. So far this year, there have been 1,120. While the Anatomy Board can't say for sure what the cause is, the rise in crime and an opioid epidemic are not being ruled out.

"That's one factor that's brought the numbers to increase in the last couple of years -- the numbers of homicides and drug overdoses," Wade said.

If there's an increase in the number of cases at the medical examiner's office, that affects the anatomy board as well.

"If we have an increase, that effects the medical examiners, and their cases as a matter of circumstances the increase is going to affect us as far as the number of bodies coming in, because it's a very short time period," Wade said.

The bodies stay there a minimum of 14 days. After that, the Anatomy Board director can order a cremation. The ashes are then held for at least a year.

Also on the WBALTV.com:

WEBVTT THE STATE ANATOMY BOARD HOUSEDIN THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLANDMEDICAL CENTER IS WEHREUNCLAIMED BODIES END UP, ANDACCORDING TO ITS DIRECTOR, SINCEFISCAL YEAR 2012, THE NUMBER OFBODIES THAT END UP HERE HAS BEENGOING UP SIGNIFICANTLY.>> DECEDENTS COME TO US BECAUSEMAYBE THE FAMILIES DO NOT HAVETHE ECONOMIC MEANS TO MAKE ACLAIM AND THE DECEASED DID NOTHAVE INSURANCE AND HAD NOT MADEANY PRE-ARRANGEMENTS.LISA THE NUMBER OF UNCLAIMED: BODIES WENT FROM 1029 IN 2012TO 1504 IN FISCAL YEAR 2016.SO FAR THIS YEAR THERE HAVE BEEN1120.WHILE THE ANATOMY BOARD CAN'TSAY FOR SURE THE CAUSE, A RISEIN CRIME AND AN OPIOD EPIDEMIC-- OPIOID EPIDEMIC ARE NOT BEINGROLLED OUT.>> THAT IS ONE FACTOR THAT HASBROUGHT A SIGNIFICANT INCREASEIN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THENUMBERS OF HOMICIDE AND DRUGOVERDOSES.>> IF THERE'S AN INCREASE IN THENUMBER OF CASES AT THE MEDICALEXAMINER'S OFFICE, THAT EFFECTSTHE ANATOMY BOARD AS WELL.>> IF WE HAVE AN INCREASE THATAFFECTS THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'SAND THEIR CASES IT IS A MATTEROF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THEINCREASE WILL AFFECT IS AS FARAS THE NUMBERS OF BODY'S COMINGIN BECAUSE IT IS A VERY SHORTTIME.LISA: THE ANATOMY BOARD KEEPSTHE BODY'S FOR 14 DAYS.AFTER THAT, THE ANATOMY BOARDDIRECTOR CAN CAN ORDER ACREMATION AND THE ASHES ARE HELD

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State Anatomy Board overwhelmed with unclaimed bodies - WBAL Baltimore