Pennsylvania Statutes Title 16 Pa.C.S.A. Counties § 13918. Coroner's investigation

(1) A sudden death not caused by a readily recognizable disease or, if the cause of death cannot be properly certified, by a physician on the basis of prior recent medical attendance.

(2) A death occurring under suspicious circumstances, including if alcohol, a drug or another toxic substance may have had a direct bearing on the outcome.

(3) A death occurring as a result of violence or trauma, whether apparently homicidal, suicidal or accidental, including a death due to mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical or radiational injury, drowning, cave-in or subsidence.

(4) A death in which trauma, chemical injury, drug overdose or reaction to a drug or medication or medical treatment was a primary or secondary, direct or indirect, contributory, aggravating or precipitating cause of death.

(5) A perioperative death in which the death is not readily explainable on the basis of prior disease.

(6) A death in which the body is unidentified or unclaimed.

(7) A death known or suspected to be due to contagious disease and constituting a public hazard.

(8) A death occurring in prison or a penal institution or while in the custody of the police.

(9) A death of an individual whose body is to be cremated, buried at sea or otherwise disposed of so as to be unavailable for examination.

(10) A sudden and unexplained infant death.

(11) A stillbirth.

(1) The cause and manner of the death.

(2) If there is sufficient reason for the coroner to believe that the death may have resulted from a criminal act or criminal neglect of an individual other than the deceased.