D.A. asks Texas Rangers to investigate Lubbock County Medical Examiner’s Office

LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) - The Texas Rangers have been asked by the Lubbock County District Attorney to investigate the Lubbock County Medical Examiner’s Office. This comes after the Texas Medical Board began investigating the medical examiner’s office and the chief medical examiner.

“The Lubbock County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, through our elected D.A. Sunshine Stanek, has made a referral for an investigation to the Texas Rangers to address any and all potential concerns with the medical examiner’s office,” said Neal Burt, Civil Division Chief with the Lubbock County Criminal District Attorney’s Office.

As we first reported in September of last year, Lubbock County commissioners approved a one-year contract with National Autopsy Assay Group (NAAG) Pathology Labs out of San Diego, California. NAAG performs all forensic pathology services and employs the staff, including Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Sam Andrews.

County commissioners said by outsourcing work to this medical organization, it save taxpayers 12 percent or just more than $330,000 in the 2018-2019 budget.

The Texas Medical Board, an oversight agency that has the authority to conduct licensing and disciplinary actions, requested two child autopsy reports from the Lubbock County Medical Examiner’s Office and numerous documents surrounding Andrews.

Those documents include Andrews' employment application, credentials and documents of special training or certifications, job description, performance evaluations, investigations into patient care issues, other complaint investigations, behavior issues, peer reviews, and any inappropriate staff violations.

The Lubbock County Commissioner’s Court agenda set for February 11, 2019 has a line item saying they are scheduled to discuss, consider and/or take action concerning an order by the Commissioners Court of Lubbock to review an agreement with NAAG Pathology Labs, P.C., company hired to administer and operate as the Lubbock County Medical Examiner’s Office.

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