26-4-8 - Discovery of dead body -- Notice requirements -- Procedure.
26-4-8. Discovery of dead body -- Notice requirements -- Procedure.
(1) When death occurs under circumstances listed in Section 26-4-7, the person orpersons finding or having custody of the body shall immediately notify the nearest lawenforcement agency. The law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the case shall thenproceed to the place where the body is and conduct an investigation concerning the cause andcircumstances of death for the purpose of determining whether there exists any criminalresponsibility for the death.
(2) On a determination by the law enforcement agency that death may have occurred inany of the ways described in Section 26-4-7, the death shall be reported to the district attorney orcounty attorney having criminal jurisdiction and to the medical examiner by the law enforcementagency having jurisdiction over the investigation.
(3) The report shall be made by the most expeditious means available. Failure to givenotification or report to the district attorney or county attorney having criminal jurisdiction andmedical examiner is a class B misdemeanor.
Amended by Chapter 38, 1993 General Session