2013 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 13 - Courts and Judicial Procedure
RS 13:5714 - Notification of next of kin

§5714. Notification of next of kin

A. The coroner or his designee shall make every reasonable effort to notify the next of kin in all cases of deaths for which he has jurisdiction including but not limited to deaths enumerated in R.S. 13:5713(A).

B. In all other cases, including cases where a person dies of natural causes, the following persons or their designees shall make every reasonable effort to notify the next of kin within forty-eight hours of discovery of the death:

(1) The administrator of the hospital in which the person dies.

(2) The administrator or executive director of the nursing home or other facility in which the person dies.

(3) The chief of police or other chief officer of a local law enforcement agency which discovers the body of the deceased.

C. The coroner or his designee shall release to the news media or any family member the reported name, age, preliminary diagnosis, and status of death, whether unclassified or classified, pending final autopsy or investigation results concerning a death under investigation. However, nothing in this Subsection shall authorize the release of the information set forth herein prior to notification of the next of kin to the deceased unless no next of kin can be determined or, despite reasonable efforts by the coroner's office, no next of kin can be located. This Subsection shall not require the release of information in non-coroner cases or in cases pertaining to criminal litigation in contravention of the provisions of R.S. 13:1513(K).

Repealed by Acts 1966, No. 312, §3, eff. Jan. 1, 1967. Acts 1984, No. 570, §1; Acts 1985, No. 241, §1; Acts 1993, No. 491, §1; Acts 1999, No. 1293, §1; Redesignated from R.S. 33:1564 pursuant to Acts 2011, No. 248, §3.