Pennsylvania § 13920 Child deaths

Pennsylvania Statutes

§ 13920 — Child deaths

Pennsylvania § 13920

JurisdictionPennsylvania

Title 16COUNTIES

PartPART IV

Ch. 139CORONER

Subch.GENERAL PROVISIONS

This text of Pennsylvania § 13920 (Child deaths) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

16 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 13920 (2026).

Text

(a)Duties.--A coroner shall perform or order an autopsy to be conducted for the sudden unexplained death of a child who is not more than three years of age. If an autopsy is required, the autopsy shall be conducted in the manner the coroner determines is the least invasive manner appropriate.

(b)Investigation.--

(1)If the coroner determines that an investigation is appropriate in the case of the death of a child who is not more than three years of age, the investigation shall include the following information:

(i)Demographic information on the child and the child's primary caregivers.

(ii)Witness interviews.

(iii)Infant medical history.

(iv)Biological mother's prenatal history.

(v)Incident scene investigation.

(vi)Scene and body diagrams.

(2)In conducting the investigati

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(a) Duties.--A coroner shall perform or order an autopsy to be conducted for the sudden unexplained death of a child who is not more than three years of age. If an autopsy is required, the autopsy shall be conducted in the manner the coroner determines is the least invasive manner appropriate.

(b) Investigation.--

(1) If the coroner determines that an investigation is appropriate in the case of the death of a child who is not more than three years of age, the investigation shall include the following information:

(i) Demographic information on the child and the child's primary caregivers.

(ii) Witness interviews.

(iii) Infant medical history.

(iv) Biological mother's prenatal history.

(v) Incident scene investigation.

(vi) Scene and body diagrams.

(2) In conducting the investigation under paragraph (1), the coroner shall consider nationally recognized standards for pediatric death review.

(c) Deoxyribonucleic acid.--A deoxyribonucleic acid sample shall be collected for the purpose of aiding in the research of the causes of sudden and unexplained infant deaths and to provide genetic information as to the manner of death.