Autopsies

• Report Cases
• Accept Cases
• Submission of Evidence

The Division of Forensic Sciences provides a complete service in Forensic Pathology under the authority of the Georgia Death Investigation Act. Examinations are performed at Headquarters, Eastern Regional Laboratory, Central Regional Laboratory, Southwestern Regional Laboratory, Coastal Regional Laboratory and Northwestern Regional Laboratory. Headquarters is operational twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The Regional Laboratories’ schedules are published monthly.

Cases are reported to The Medical Examiner’s Section by Coroners, Deputy Coroners, and Law Enforcement. The Medical Examiner’s Office determines if an examination will be performed. Requests for examinations are received 24 hours a day by Headquarters and should be made by calling 404-328-4320 or 404-244-2600 or

1-800-282-8746. Regional laboratory requests may be made by dialing:

Cases accepted for examination are transported to the respective laboratory by transport services provided by the county of death. Cases examined at headquarters are received 24 hours a day. All other laboratories should be contacted prior to delivering the case. Every effort is made to accommodate the attendance of examinations by authorized persons. Those who wish to attend an examination should make their request to the appropriate Medical Examiner Investigator.

Persons reporting a death should provide details regarding the death. Reported information should include:

Name of Deceased
Residence of Deceased
Date of Birth
Sex/Race
Date, Time, Place Pronounced
Means Used To Make Positive Identification
Investigating Officer/ Agency
Location of Body
Funeral Home

Evidence removed from the scene should be submitted separately to the appropriate laboratory either in person or by a method of submission that meets the requirements for preservation of chain of custody. If there is any question as to whether an item should be removed or submitted as evidence, please contact the Medical Examiner Investigator prior to removal of the decedent from the scene. Items of jewelry or other valuables not deemed of evidentiary value should not be submitted with the deceased.

Clothing accompanying the deceased may be returned to the family or retained as evidence. When clothing is not needed as evidence and is especially soiled, it may be discarded, unless otherwise noted.

At times, certain organs or parts of organs may be kept for the purpose of determining the cause and manner of death or in some homicides or questionable deaths to demonstrate an injury. Organs are never kept for research or as matters of curiosity. In most cases, all organs are returned with the body.

A preliminary result may be available within 24 hours or at completion of the autopsy. If more detailed information is needed or there is a matter of urgency, the appropriate laboratory may be contacted at any time using the above telephone numbers.

The Georgia Death Investigation Act (O. C. G. A. 45-16-27) requires that any person under seven (7) years of age:

1. Where a coroner or county medical examiner has been notified pursuant to paragraph six (6) of subsection (a) of Code Section 45-16-24 of the death of any person after birth but before seven (7) years of age whose death is unexpected or unexplained, the medical examiner’s inquiry required by Code Section 45-16-25 shall include an autopsy unless that inquiry shows that such death was expected or explainable with a reasonable degree of medical certainty.

2. The provisions of this Code section shall apply notwithstanding subsection (b) of Code Section 45-16-22 or any other provision of this article.

Coroners and Medical Examiners must file their reports with the Division of Forensic Sciences (O. C. G. A. 4516-32). Medical Examiners are also required to submit a copy of all reports on deaths of children ages 17 and under to their local Child Abuse Review Committee (O. C. G. A. 19-1-3a).