Amendment ID: S2899-6

Amendment 6

Supporting Families Dealing with Sudden Unexplained Death in Pediatrics

Ms. Lovely moves that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section ___ the following section:-

SECTION XX. Section 2A of chapter 38 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting the following paragraph:-

(h) In all cases of sudden unexpected death in pediatrics when autopsy is required by law, except in cases of (1) homicide, (2) suicide or (3) established cause, the office of the chief medical examiner shall, on behalf of the parents of the deceased, engage services including, but not limited to, genetic testing and ongoing bereavement support. The office of the chief medical examiner shall refer, as close to the time of incident as possible, but no longer than three days after receipt of the decedent, any undetermined death of a child three years of age or younger to the Massachusetts center for unexpected infant and child death at Boston Medical Center for counseling and grief support. These referrals shall include any suspected case of sudden infant death syndrome, sudden unexplained infant death, sudden unexpected death in childhood, sudden unexplained death in pediatrics or any sudden child death likely to remain unexplained by standard autopsy and investigation.