Procedimiento para la disposición de cuerpos no identificados en Carolina del Sur

Explicación Simple

Cuando alguien muere y no se sabe quién es, hay un proceso para cuidar su cuerpo. Primero, intentan encontrar a su familia; si no pueden, el cuerpo se guarda hasta que se sepa quién es o se decide qué hacer con él.

Es como cuando en una fiesta se queda un abrigo olvidado. Intentas encontrar al dueño, pero si no aparece, decides guardarlo hasta que alguien lo reclame o lo lleves a un lugar donde lo cuiden.

Ejemplo Práctico

Imagina que Juan, un hombre sin hogar, fallece en una calle de Charleston. Nadie puede identificarlo, así que el médico forense lo envía a una universidad para que lo cuiden mientras tratan de averiguar quién es. Si después de un mes no logran identificarlo, pueden decidir usar su cuerpo para estudios o devolverlo al forense para que se encargue.

Texto Original del Estatuto (Inglés)

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