§ 23-4-8 - Procedure for investigation of deaths.
SECTION 23-4-8
§ 23-4-8 Procedure for investigation ofdeaths. – (a) When the office of state medical examiners has notice that there has beenfound or is lying within this state the body of a person who is supposed tohave come to his or her death by violence, or in any manner as stated in §23-4-7, an agent of the office of state medical examiners shall immediatelyproceed to the place where the body lies and take charge of it, view it, andmake personal inquiry into the cause and manner of death. If the body is foundat the residence of the deceased, the agent of the office of state medicalexaminers shall not remove the body from the residence unless necessary forfurther postmortem examination or autopsy.
(b) A health care facility shall disclose any and allinformation in its possession requested by the state medical examiner or his orher agent in connection with the investigation of the death of a current orformer patient to the extent necessary to assist the medical examiner indetermining the cause of death.