Stephenson County sheriff's representative reports 537 deaths in 2025; staffing updates announced

At a Stephenson County committee meeting, the sheriff's department representative, identified in the record as Mister Bush, reported detailed coroner statistics for 2025 and outlined staffing and training updates.

Mister Bush said the county recorded 485 natural deaths, 17 accidental deaths, nine suicides and one homicide in 2025, with two deaths undetermined and 21 cases still pending. "There are 19 of those will probably be natural, and then 2 will be accidental," he said, adding that the total for the year was 537 deaths.

He also described personnel and training changes: four people are in the field training officer (FTO) program (graduated Dec. 18 and are now learning department systems), two staff members are at school, and the department remains in the hiring/training process to return six officers to street duty. Mister Bush noted that two or three new deputy coroners were added late in the year and that "Tom has started" and will be in the office on Thursday.

When asked for a comparison with 2024 totals, Mister Bush said he did not have the 2024 figures on hand and offered to provide the full comparison at next month's meeting.

The committee took no formal action on these reports; they were received as informational updates.