Pennsylvania § 13918 - Coroner's investigation.

§ 13918. Coroner's investigation.

(a) Duties.--The coroner having a view of the body shall investigate the facts and circumstances concerning a death that appears to have happened within the county, notwithstanding where the cause of the death may have occurred, for the purpose of determining if an autopsy or inquest should be conducted in the following cases:

(1) A sudden death not caused by a readily recognizable disease or, if the cause of death cannot be properly certified, by a physician on the basis of prior recent medical attendance.

(2) A death occurring under suspicious circumstances, including if alcohol, a drug or another toxic substance may have had a direct bearing on the outcome.

(3) A death occurring as a result of violence or trauma, whether apparently homicidal, suicidal or accidental, including a death due to mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical or radiational injury, drowning, cave-in or subsidence.

(4) A death in which trauma, chemical injury, drug overdose or reaction to a drug or medication or medical treatment was a primary or secondary, direct or indirect, contributory, aggravating or precipitating cause of death.

(5) A perioperative death in which the death is not readily explainable on the basis of prior disease.

(6) A death in which the body is unidentified or unclaimed.

(7) A death known or suspected to be due to contagious disease and constituting a public hazard.

(8) A death occurring in prison or a penal institution or while in the custody of the police.

(9) A death of an individual whose body is to be cremated, buried at sea or otherwise disposed of so as to be unavailable for examination.

(10) A sudden and unexplained infant death.

(11) A stillbirth.

(b) Purpose.--The purpose of an investigation under subsection (a) shall be to determine all of the following:

(1) The cause and manner of the death.

(2) If there is sufficient reason for the coroner to believe that the death may have resulted from a criminal act or criminal neglect of an individual other than the deceased.

(c) Requirements.--As part of an investigation under subsection (a), the coroner shall determine the identity of the deceased and notify the next of kin of the deceased.