Can family members attend the autopsy?

Legal analysis: Yes, in order to ensure the fairness of the autopsy process, family members can be present. According to relevant legal provisions, in order to determine the cause of death, a corpse can be dissected with the approval of the person in charge of the public security organ at or above the county level, and the family of the deceased will be notified to be present to sign an autopsy notice. The family can also designate a doctor, friend, or medical attorney to observe the autopsy.

Legal basis: Article 198 of the "Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Procuratorate" When the People's Procuratorate performs an autopsy on a corpse whose cause of death is unknown, the family of the deceased shall be notified to be present and asked to sign the "Autopsy Notice" Or stamp it. If the deceased's family members refuse to be present or refuse to sign or seal without justifiable reasons, this will not affect the autopsy, but it should be noted in the autopsy notice. For unidentified corpses, if it is impossible to notify the deceased's family, it should be recorded in writing.

Article 52: Autopsies shall not be conducted publicly. If an autopsy is required to determine the cause of death, the consent of the deceased's family must be obtained. If the family members of the deceased do not agree to the autopsy, the body may be dissected with the approval of the person in charge of the traffic management department of the public security agency at or above the county level or the public security agency at the next higher level, and the family members of the deceased will be notified to be present, and the family members of the deceased will sign the autopsy notice. If the family members of the deceased refuse to be present or sign without justifiable reasons, the traffic police shall indicate this on the autopsy notice. If the family of the deceased cannot be notified of an unidentified body, this should be recorded.