Missouri Revised Statutes Title XXXI. Trusts and Estates of Decedents and Persons Under Disability § 473.743. Duty of public administrator to take charge of estates, when

(1) When a stranger dies intestate in the county without relations, or dies leaving a will, and the personal representative named is absent, or fails to qualify;

(2) When persons die intestate without any known heirs;

(3) When persons unknown die or are found dead in the county;

(4) When money, property, papers or other estate are left in a situation exposed to loss or damage, and no other person administers on the same;

(5) When any estate of any person who dies intestate therein, or elsewhere, is left in the county liable to be injured, wasted or lost, when the intestate does not leave a known husband, widow or heirs in this state;

(6) The estates of all minors whose parents are dead, or, if living, refuse or neglect to qualify as conservator, or, having qualified have been removed, or are, from any cause, incompetent to act as such conservator, and who have no one authorized by law to take care of and manage their estate;

(7) The estates or person and estate of all disabled or incapacitated persons in his or her county who have no legal guardian or conservator, and no one competent to take charge of such estate, or to act as such guardian or conservator, can be found, or is known to the court having jurisdiction, who will qualify;

(8) Where from any other good cause, the court shall order him to take possession of any estate to prevent its being injured, wasted, purloined or lost;

(9) The public administrator shall act as trustee when appointed by the circuit court or the probate division of the circuit court.