San Francisco Medical Examiner Accused of Trashing Vital Evidence, Firing Whistleblower

Lawsuit alleges executive director discarded human skull and retaliated against employee who reported it

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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A high-ranking official with the San Francisco medical examiner's office allegedly discarded a human skull needed to identify a corpse, and then fired the employee who reported the incident, according to a lawsuit filed by the terminated worker. The lawsuit claims that David Serrano Sewell, the executive director of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, improperly trashed the vital evidence during a rushed clean-up ahead of an inspection, and then retaliated against employee Sonia Kominek-Adachi when she flagged the missing skull.

Why it matters

This case raises serious concerns about the handling of sensitive evidence and human remains at the San Francisco medical examiner's office, as well as questions about potential retaliation against whistleblowers who report wrongdoing. The alleged actions could undermine public trust in the office's ability to properly investigate deaths and identify victims.

The details

According to the lawsuit, Kominek-Adachi discovered the missing skull while conducting an inventory in January 2023 and realized an unidentified corpse, labeled 'Doe #82,' was missing its head. The skull was encased in a clay cast as the staff attempted to reconstruct the man's face. Serrano Sewell allegedly made no effort to investigate the disappearance and retaliated against Kominek-Adachi, subjecting her to a polygraph test and background check, denying her a promotion, and ultimately firing her under the pretext of a consumer affairs complaint she had filed separately.

  • In January 2023, Kominek-Adachi discovered the missing skull during an inventory.
  • Serrano Sewell was promoted to executive director of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner just one month earlier, in December 2022.

The players

David Serrano Sewell

The executive director of the San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, who is accused of improperly discarding a human skull that was needed as evidence to identify a body.

Sonia Kominek-Adachi

The employee at the San Francisco medical examiner's office who reported the missing skull and was subsequently fired, allegedly in retaliation.

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What they’re saying

“She saw a career in the medical examiner's office, and that career is over. Her termination is a terrible black mark on her ability to continue to work in her field.”

— James Urbanic, Kominek-Adachi's attorney (The Standard)

What’s next

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has moved to settle Kominek-Adachi's $750,000 wrongful termination lawsuit.

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of proper handling of sensitive evidence and human remains, as well as the need to protect whistleblowers who report wrongdoing. It raises concerns about potential mismanagement and retaliation at the San Francisco medical examiner's office, which must be addressed to maintain public trust in the office's ability to investigate deaths and identify victims.