22a-242. Child death, notification of coroner; autopsy; notification of state review board; notification of parent or guardian; SIDS death; fee for autopsy.
22a-242
22a-242. Child death, notification of coroner;autopsy; notification of state review board; notification of parent orguardian; SIDS death; fee for autopsy.(a) When a child dies, any law enforcement officer, healthcare provider or other person having knowledge of the death shall immediatelynotify the coroner of the known facts concerning the time, place, manner andcircumstances of the death. If the notice to the coroner identifies anysuspicious circumstances or unknown cause, as described in the protocoldeveloped by the state review board under K.S.A. 22a-243 andamendments thereto, thecoroner shall immediately: (1) Investigate the death to determine whether thechild's deathincluded any such suspicious circumstance or unknown cause; and (2) direct apathologist to perform an autopsy.
(b) If, after investigation and an autopsy, the coroner determines that thedeath of a child does not include any suspicious circumstances or unknowncause, as described in the protocol developed by the state review board underK.S.A. 22a-243 and amendments thereto, the coroner shallcomplete and sign a nonsuspiciouschild deathform.
(c) If, after investigation and an autopsy, the coroner determines that thedeath of a child includes any suspicious circumstance or unknown cause, asdescribed in the protocol developed by the state review board under K.S.A.22a-243 and amendments thereto, the coroner shall notify, within 30days, the chairpersonof the state reviewboard and shall notify, within 24 hours, the county or district attorney ofthe county where the death of thechild occurred.
(d) The coroner shall attempt to notify any parent or legal guardian of thedeceased child prior to the performance of an autopsy pursuant to this sectionand attempt to notify any such parent or legal guardian of the results of theautopsy.
(e) A coroner shall not make a determination that the death of a child lessthan one year of age was caused by sudden infant death syndrome unless anautopsy is performed.
(f) The fee for an autopsy performed under this section shall be the usualand reasonable fee and travel allowance authorized under K.S.A. 22a-233 andamendments thereto and shall be paidfrom the district coroners fund.
History: L. 1992, ch. 312, § 32;L. 1994, ch. 279, § 27;L. 2002, ch. 119, § 1; July 1.