N.C. Gen. Stat. § 130A-399: Postmortem examination of inmates of certain public institutions.

Upon the death of any inmate of an institution maintained by the State, or a city, county, or other political subdivision of the State, for the care of individuals with a sickness, mental illness, or intellectual disability, the administrator of the institution in which the death occurs may authorize a postmortem examination of the deceased person. The examination shall be of a scope and nature necessary to promote knowledge of the human organism and its disorders. (1943, c. 87, s. 1; 1983, c. 891, s. 2; 2018-47, s. 10(a).)