2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 17 - Criminal Procedures › Chapter 5 - Coroners And Medical Examiners › Section 17-5-570. Release and burial of dead bodies; preservation and disposition of unidentified dead bodies.

(A) After the post-mortem examination, autopsy, or inquest has been completed, the dead body must be released to the person lawfully entitled to it for burial. If no person claims the body, the coroner or medical examiner must notify the board created pursuant to Section 44-43-510. If the board does not accept the body, the body must be turned over to the coroner of the county where death occurred for disposition as provided by law. If the deceased has an estate out of which burial expenses can be paid either in whole or in part, the estate must be taken for that purpose before an expense under this section is imposed upon a county.
(B) If the body cannot be identified through reasonable efforts, the coroner must forward the body to the Medical University of South Carolina or other suitable facility for preservation. If the body remains unidentified thirty days after the coroner forwarded the body, the Medical University of South Carolina or other facility preserving the body must immediately notify the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED). If the body has not been identified within thirty days after SLED has entered the unidentified person's DNA profile into the Combined DNA Indexing System pursuant to Section 23-3-635, the Medical University may retain possession of the body for its use and benefit or return the body to the coroner of the county where death occurred for disposition as provided by law. A facility other than the Medical University utilized by the coroner for storage of an unidentified body may dispose of the body as provided by law or return the body to the coroner of the county where death occurred for disposition.
(C) If an unidentified body is preserved at the Medical University, the county is responsible for transporting the body to and from the Medical University; however, the county is not responsible for the cost of preserving the body at the Medical University. If an unidentified body is preserved at the Medical University, the Medical University must absorb the cost of preserving the body for not less than thirty days.
HISTORY: 2001 Act No. 73, Section 1; 2008 Act No. 413, Section 3.E, eff October 21, 2008.
Editor's Note
2008 Act No. 413, Section 3.A provides as follows:
"This SECTION may be referred to and cited as the 'Unidentified Human Remains DNA Database Act'."
2008 Act No. 413, Section 7 provides as follows:
"The provisions of Section 17-28-350 become effective upon the signature of the Governor. All other provisions become effective January 1, 2009. The enactment of these provisions prior to the effective date indicates the intent of the General Assembly that statewide laws or practices shall exist to ensure additional procedures for post-conviction DNA testing, and proper preservation of biological evidence connected to murder, rape, and nonnegligent homicide in order that application for available federal funds shall be made by the appropriate agencies and considered by the appropriate federal agencies prior to the effective date."