Letter: Why we need Baker to remain as coroner

As the current coroner, he has a positive record with immense responsibilities that are very serious in nature. Mr. Baker should remain as coroner for four main reasons. First, in the middle of this coronavirus pandemic, his level of professionalism is unparalleled. Second, he is tasked with making certain that as one departs an earthly home, he investigates that the person was not abused, harmed or taken too soon, and if yes, he will responsibly with the facts discover the cause. Third, Robbie Baker is not the type of coroner who will take lightly that the deceased is a family member or a member of society who deserves the courtesy of a thorough investigation. Fourth, he will listen, including to personalized stories about the person the deceased was to their family. In short, we need Robbie Baker as his thoroughness, professionalism and dedication to his position are just what a coroner should be, and as a ranking member of the Sumter County Sheriff's Office from 1985-2016, his dedication to the community is invaluable.

Robbie Baker is compassionate with an ability to connect with the family of the deceased, particularly the person or family member that reports the death. Reporting a death is hard. You want to just cry, and it leaves one vulnerable. A lot of questions need answering as to why the loved one is deceased. Robbie Baker makes the process bearable and tearless as he observes, listens and is patiently investigating while following the evidence at the scene of the death and the evidence with and within the deceased. He also follows up with medical records and gives you the true facts of the death.

For example, we've all heard horror stories of a deceased person not being treated in a compassionate manner. Robbie Baker won't let that happen, nor will he let a family member go without the truth of the cause of death. We need Mr. Baker reelected because he is able to take the threads of the case and sew the seams back into the fabric of the family where the deceased belongs. And he will dispose of any and all medications the deceased left behind. So, please, vote/re-vote for Robbie Baker as coroner.

A better example: When you lose a loved one, it is traumatic. Even if they are terminally ill, you're still not prepared. When my husband died at home, it was shocking. I was sick that day and was unable to contact anyone for hours. Around midnight when the authorities arrived, they were immediately accusatory, even though my husband had passed away comfortably in his bed. When Robbie Baker arrived, he did all he could in determining how my husband died, while treating me as my husband's wife and focusing on the fact that he was my husband, not a deceased man in his bed, all while following all social distancing requirements due to this pandemic.

In conclusion, the re-election of Robbie Baker as coroner will show you, as he showed me, that he was born for this work. Truly, Mr. Baker leaves no stone unturned and never complains, no matter how many times you call him. Re-electing Robbie Baker will keep you and your deceased loved one connected to you and your family while protecting the best interest of the deceased, resolving the cause of death, along with all of the litany of responsibilities that the coroner's position requires.

SHERRI HARRIS

(MRS. GENE HARRIS)

Sumter