26B-8-205. Custody by medical examiner. Upon notification under Section
26B-8-206 or investigation by the medical examiner’s office, the medical examiner shall assume custody of a deceased body if it appears that death:
| (1) |
was by violence, gunshot, suicide, or accident; |
Terms Used In Utah Code 26B-8-205
- Decedent: A deceased person.
- Medical examiner: means the state medical examiner appointed pursuant to Section 26B-8-202 or a deputy appointed by the medical examiner. See Utah Code 26B-8-201
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
- Sudden death while in apparent good health: means apparently instantaneous death without obvious natural cause, death during or following an unexplained syncope or coma, or death during an acute or unexplained rapidly fatal illness. See Utah Code 26B-8-201
- Sudden infant death syndrome: means the death of a child who was thought to be in good health or whose terminal illness appeared to be so mild that the possibility of a fatal outcome was not anticipated. See Utah Code 26B-8-201
- Suicide: means death caused by an intentional and voluntary act of an individual who understands the physical nature of the act and intends by such act to accomplish self-destruction. See Utah Code 26B-8-201
| (2) |
was sudden death while in apparent good health; |
| (3) |
occurred unattended, except that an autopsy may only be performed in accordance with the provisions of Subsection 26B-8-207(3); |
| (4) |
occurred under suspicious or unusual circumstances; |
| (5) |
resulted from poisoning or overdose of drugs; |
| (6) |
resulted from a disease that may constitute a threat to the public health; |
| (7) |
resulted from disease, injury, toxic effect, or unusual exertion incurred within the scope of the decedent‘s employment; |
| (8) |
was due to sudden infant death syndrome; |
| (9) |
occurred while the decedent was in prison, jail, police custody, the state hospital, or in a detention or medical facility operated for the treatment of persons with a mental illness, persons who are emotionally disturbed, or delinquent persons; |
| (10) |
resulted directly from the actions of a law enforcement officer, as defined in Section 53-13-103; |
| (11) |
was associated with diagnostic or therapeutic procedures; or |
| (12) |
was described in this section when request is made to assume custody by a county or district attorney or law enforcement agency in connection with a potential homicide investigation or prosecution. |
Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 306, 2023 General Session
