(a) Notwithstanding, but in addition to, the provisions of any law, including § 14-307 and Chapter 12 of Title 7, any person or official specified in subsection (b) of this section who has knowledge of the death of a child who died in the District of Columbia, or a ward of the District of Columbia who died outside the District of Columbia, shall as soon as practicable but in any event within 5 business days report the death or cause to have a report of the death made to the Registrar of Vital Records.

(b) Persons required to report child deaths pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall include every physician, psychologist, medical examiner, dentist, chiropractor, qualified developmental disability professional, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, person involved in the care and treatment of patients, health professional licensed pursuant to Chapter 12 of Title 3, law-enforcement officer, school official, teacher, social service worker, day care worker, mental health professional, funeral director, undertaker, and embalmer. The Mayor shall issue rules and procedures governing the nature and contents of such reports.

(c) Any other person may report a child death to the Registrar of Vital Records.

(d) The Registrar of Vital Records shall accept the report of a death of a child and shall notify the Committee of the death within 5 business days of receiving the report.

(e) Nothing in this section shall affect other reporting requirements under District law.

(Oct. 3, 2001, D.C. Law 14-28, § 4612, 48 DCR 6981; Sept. 26, 2012, D.C. Law 19-169, § 11(d), 59 DCR 5567.)

This section is referenced in § 4-1371.14 and § 7-1203.02.

The 2012 amendment by D.C. Law 19-169 substituted “developmental disability” for “mental retardation” in the first sentence of (b).

For temporary (90 day) addition of section, see § 12 of Child Fatality Review Committee Establishment Emergency Act of 2001 (D.C. Act 14-40, April 25, 2001, 48 DCR 5917).

For temporary (90 day) addition of section, see § 12 of Child Fatality Review Committee Establishment Legislative Review Emergency Act of 2001 (D.C. Act 14-82, July 9, 2001, 48 DCR 6355).

For temporary (225 day) addition of section, see § 2 of Child Fatality Review Committee Establishment Temporary Act of 2001 (D.C. Law 14-20, September 6, 2001, law notification 48 DCR 9090).

Section 35 of D.C. Law 19-169 provided that no provision of the act shall impair any right or obligation existing under law.