Share:
House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | April 21, 2021 03:02 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative David M. Delloso |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Failure to Report a Dead Body |
| Across the country, there have been many instances in which people have failed to report the death or discovery of a dead body to the proper authorities. This not only poses health risks but creates opportunities for fraud. In one instance, a wife continued to receive her husband’s VA benefits checks for ten years as she kept his body in a deep freezer. In Pennsylvania, current law does nothing to deter such a horrific situation, as average citizens are not legally obligated to report a dead body. While law enforcement and medical professionals must call the authorities upon the discovery of a corpse, other individuals are not required to do so. My legislation would make it a crime to fail to notify a 911 system, physician or other medical professional, law enforcement agency, or funeral home of a death or the discovery of a body unless the person knows or reasonably believes that the death has already been reported. Please join me in keeping families informed of the whereabouts of their vulnerable loved ones, preserving the dignity of those who pass away, and deterring the siphoning of public benefits sorely needed by others in the Commonwealth by supporting this important legislation. |
Introduced as HB1911