Section 36-2-14-6.3 - Coroner notification of child deaths; coroner consultation with child death pathologist; suspicious, unexpected, or unexplained child deaths; autopsy(a) A coroner shall immediately notify: (1) the local office of the department of child services by using the statewide hotline for the department; and(2) either: (A) the local child fatality review team; or(B) if the county does not have a local child fatality review team, the statewide child fatality review committee; of each death of a person who is less than eighteen (18) years of age, or appears to be less than eighteen (18) years of age and who has died in an apparently suspicious, unexpected, or unexplained manner.
(b) If a child less than eighteen (18) years of age dies in an apparently suspicious, unexpected, or unexplained manner, the coroner shall consult with a child death pathologist to determine whether an autopsy is necessary. If the coroner and the child death pathologist disagree over the need for an autopsy, the prosecuting attorney shall determine whether an autopsy is necessary. If the autopsy is considered necessary, a child death pathologist or a pathology resident acting under the direct supervision of a child death pathologist shall conduct the autopsy within twenty-four (24) hours after the prosecuting attorney notifies the pathologist or pathology resident of the determination. If the autopsy is not considered necessary, the autopsy shall not be conducted.(c) If a child death pathologist and coroner agree under subsection (b) that an autopsy is necessary, the child death pathologist or a pathology resident acting under the direct supervision of a child death pathologist shall conduct the autopsy of the child.As added by P.L.225-2007, SEC.13. Amended by P.L.131-2009, SEC.75; P.L.128-2012, SEC.183; P.L.109-2015, SEC.59; P.L.148-2024, SEC.30.