Allegations of Misconduct at San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office

A senior official at the San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office has faced serious allegations after allegedly discarding a human skull essential for identifying a body. The employee who reported the incident claims she was subsequently fired.

David Serrano Sewell, the executive director of the office, reportedly destroyed crucial evidence during a hurried cleanup before an inspection, according to a lawsuit filed by Sonia Kominek Adachi on February 2.

In January 2023, while inventorying body parts in her office, Kominek-Adachi noticed that the head of an unidentified individual marked as “Doe #82” was missing.

The department was required by law to keep the skull until they could identify the individual.

Interestingly, Serrano Sewell was promoted to his position just a month prior, as noted on LinkedIn.

Records show the skull belonged to a man whose remains were discovered in October 2014 by a homeless camp near Lake Merced.

At the time of disposal, the skull was encased in a clay mold, which staff were using to help restore the man’s facial appearance.

If the individual cannot be identified or has no next of kin, the remains may be cremated and scattered over the Golden Gate Bridge.

The lawsuit stated, “The skull was crucial for the office’s ability to identify the remains. Without it, further identification was impossible.”

Following Kominek-Adachi’s report of the incident, Serrano Sewell allegedly did not initiate any investigation and reportedly treated her coldly when she sought answers.

Furthermore, the lawsuit claims that during this time, Serrano Sewell sought to retaliate against her by conducting a polygraph test and extensive background checks while she was pursuing a promotion.

When her promotion was finally approved, the office reversed its decision, placing her in a temporary role instead, allegations assert.

After Serrano Sewell claimed he had recovered the missing skull, Kominek-Adachi reportedly fell out of favor with officials over a complaint she had filed against a funeral home regarding delays in cremating her grandmother’s remains.

Despite these concerns being independent of her job, the funeral home contacted the coroner’s office, suggesting her actions were unprofessional given her position as a death investigator, according to the lawsuit.

From this situation, Serrano Sewell is accused of creating reasons to terminate Kominek-Adachi.

The complaint revealed that he fired her while she was under investigation by the human resources department, initially citing budget cuts. Later, the city pointed to “undue influence” in a disagreement with a funeral director as a reason for her dismissal.

Her lawyer, James Urbanick, stated, “Her career in the coroner’s office is now over, leaving a significant mark on her professional reputation.”

Recently, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors proposed a settlement of $750,000 for Kominek-Adachi’s wrongful termination lawsuit.

Efforts to reach Serrano Sewell for comment have not yet resulted in a response.