57. A body is deemed unclaimed when the spouse or, failing or in the absence of the spouse, the next of kin to the degree of cousin-german, inclusively, declares in writing that he does not intend to claim the body, clearly shows no interest therein for 24 hours or more after being informed of the death, or cannot be found within 24 hours after the filing of the report of a search carried out by a police department.
1977, c. 47, s. 5; 1999, c. 40, s. 227.