UP Gazette

The family of a deceased person in Michigan now has only 24 hours to make important decisions about the person's body.

The state of Michigan has the authority to cremate a body without consent from a family member, if contact cannot be made within 24 hours of the death or if no survivor of the deceased individual has made arrangements for the body within 48 hours of the death.

If a family member of a deceased person cannot be located, or if they "affirmatively decline to exercise their right or fail to exercise their right to control the final disposition of the body," the medical examiner may exercise the state's rights instead. 

The rule was outlined in a May Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) order, which was announced following COVID-19 patient death spikes in Michigan. 

However, certain circumstances could prevent the cremation from occurring. For example, bodies cannot be cremated if the person's death involves criminal activity or suspicious circumstances. In these instances, the cremation must be approved by the medical examiner, which may take longer than 24 hours.