§5712. Notification of death under suspicious circumstances; penalties for failure to comply

            A. A physician or other person having knowledge of a death under sudden, accidental, violent, or suspicious circumstances or without medical attendance within twenty-four hours prior to death shall immediately notify the coroner of the death.

            B. Before removing any such body from the place where death occurred or preparing same for burial or shipment or destroying any clothing or other evidence connected with the body, an undertaker, embalmer, or other person shall first notify the coroner and receive permission from the coroner.

            C. A physician or other person reporting the death of any patient with a known or diagnosed virulent contagious disease, including acquired immune deficiency syndrome and including deceased individuals who are known carriers of any such disease but whose death is due to other causes, shall notify the coroner of such disease.

            D. Any person who fails to comply with the provisions of this Section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars.

            Amended by Acts 1966, No. 312, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1967; Acts 1984, No. 570, §1; Acts 1987, No. 878, §1; Redesignated from R.S. 33:1562 pursuant to Acts 2011, No. 248, §3; Acts 2015, No. 302, §2.