22a-242. Child death, notification of coroner; autopsy; notification of state review board; notification of parent or guardian; SIDS death; fee for autopsy. (a) When a child dies, any law enforcement officer, health care provider or other person having knowledge of the death shall immediately notify the coroner of the known facts concerning the time, place, manner and circumstances of the death. If the notice to the coroner identifies any suspicious circumstances or unknown cause, as described in the protocol developed by the state review board under K.S.A. 22a-243, and amendments thereto, the coroner shall immediately: (1) Investigate the death to determine whether the child's death included any such suspicious circumstance or unknown cause; and (2) direct a pathologist to perform an autopsy.

(b) If, after investigation and an autopsy, the coroner determines that the death of a child does not include any suspicious circumstances or unknown cause, as described in the protocol developed by the state review board under K.S.A. 22a-243, and amendments thereto, the coroner shall complete and sign a nonsuspicious child death form.

(c) If, after investigation and an autopsy, the coroner determines that the death of a child includes any suspicious circumstance or unknown cause, as described in the protocol developed by the state review board under K.S.A. 22a-243, and amendments thereto, the coroner shall notify, within 30 days, the chairperson of the state review board and shall notify, within 24 hours, the county or district attorney of the county where the death of the child occurred.

(d) The coroner shall attempt to notify any parent or legal guardian of the deceased child prior to the performance of an autopsy pursuant to this section and attempt to notify any such parent or legal guardian of the results of the autopsy.

(e) A coroner shall not make a determination that the death of a child less than one year of age was caused by sudden infant death syndrome unless an autopsy is performed.

(f) The fee for an autopsy performed under this section shall be the usual and reasonable fee and travel allowance authorized under K.S.A. 22a-233, and amendments thereto, and shall be paid from the district coroners fund.

History: L. 1992, ch. 312, § 32; L. 1994, ch. 279, § 27; L. 2002, ch. 119, § 1; July 1.