{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-5-1405","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 5-1405","heading":"Deaths — determinations and investigations; cremations.","body":"(a)\nThe CME, other medical examiners, and medicolegal investigators (physician assistants or advanced practice registered nurses) licensed under subchapter V of Chapter 12 of Title 3, are authorized to make determinations of death.\n\n(b)\nPursuant to regulations established by the Mayor, the following types of human deaths occurring in the District shall be investigated by the OCME:\n(1)\nViolent deaths, whether apparently homicidal, suicidal, or accidental, including deaths due to thermal, chemical, electrical or radiation injury and  deaths due to criminal abortion, whether apparently self-induced or not;\n(2)\nSudden, unexpected or unexplained deaths not caused by readily recognizable disease, including sudden infant deaths or apparent sudden infant  death syndrome (SIDS) for infants one year of age and younger;\n(3)\nDeaths under suspicious circumstances;\n(4)\nDeaths of persons whose bodies are to be cremated, dissected, buried at  sea or otherwise disposed of so as to be thereafter unavailable for  examination;\n(5)\nDeaths related to disease resulting from employment or on-the-job injury  or illness;\n(6)\nDeaths related to disease which might constitute a threat to public  health;\n(7)\nDeaths of persons who are wards of the District government;\n(8)\nDeaths related to medical or surgical intervention, including operative,  peri-operative, anesthesia, medication reactions or deaths associated with  diagnostic or therapeutic procedures;\n(9)\nDeaths of persons while in the legal custody of the District;\n(10)\nFetal deaths related to maternal trauma, including substance abuse, and  extra-mural deliveries;\n(11)\nDeaths for which the Metropolitan Police Department, another law enforcement agency, or the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia requests, or a court orders investigation;\n(12)\nDead bodies brought within the District without proper  medical certification; and\n(13)\nAll maternal mortalities.\n\n(b-1)\nFor the purposes of subsection (b) of this section, the term:\n(1)\n\"Maternal mortalities\" means pregnancy-associated deaths and pregnancy- related deaths, as those terms are defined in § 7-671.01(4) and (5), and deaths resulting from severe maternal morbidity.\n(2)\n\"Severe maternal morbidity\" means one of the following outcomes of labor and delivery that results in short-term or long-term consequences to a birthing parent's health:\n(A)\nAcute myocardial infarction;\n(B)\nAcute renal failure;\n(C)\nAdult respiratory distress syndrome;\n(D)\nAir and thrombotic embolism;\n(E)\nAmniotic fluid embolism;\n(F)\nAnesthesia complications;\n(G)\nAneurysm;\n(H)\nBlood products transfusion;\n(I)\nCardiac arrest/ventricular fibrillation;\n(J)\nConversion of cardiac rhythm;\n(K)\nDisseminated intravascular coagulation;\n(L)\nEclampsia;\n(M)\nHeart failure/arrest during surgery or procedure;\n(N)\nHysterectomy;\n(O)\nPuerperal cerebrovascular disorders;\n(P)\nPulmonary edema/acute heart failure;\n(Q)\nSepsis;\n(R)\nShock;\n(S)\nSickle cell disease with crisis;\n(T)\nTemporary tracheostomy; or\n(U)\nVentilation.\n\n(c)\nClearances by the CME shall be required for all deaths occurring in the District for which cremations are requested regardless of where the cremation will occur.\n\n(d)\nThe Mayor shall, by regulation, prescribe procedures for taking possession of a dead body following a death subject to investigation under subsection (b) of this section and for obtaining all essential facts concerning the medical causes of death and the names and addresses of as many witnesses as it is practicable to obtain.","path":["Title 5. Police, Firefighters, Medical Examiner, and Forensic Sciences.","Chapter 14. Chief Medical Examiner."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/5-1405","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"884601b38ad293740c1f8b169bf13fd33b16c1b185511f7acfa95bde24686947","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-5-1404","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-5-1406"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}