The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is retaining unidentified and unclaimed decedent remains at its main facility, both in frozen storage and as cremated remains, because it lacks the statutory authorization to arrange for their disposition

The objective of this report was to review the OCME's current methods for retaining remains and any legal authority it may have to plan for their disposition. Current operating procedure is to store remains with evidentiary value in frozen storage and those without evidentiary value as cremated remains, but no written policy and procedure exists. Both unidentified and unclaimed remains must be retained indefinitely by the OCME at its main facility. The Legislative Auditor concludes that the OCME lacks adequate statutory authority to arrange for the final disposition of decedent remains in its long-term custody.