What document must be filed with the Office of Vital Statistics by the medical examiner after assuming custody of a dead body?

The document that must be filed with the Office of Vital Statistics by the medical examiner after assuming custody of a dead body is the Certificate of Death. This certificate serves as an official record indicating the cause of death and is required for various purposes, including legal, administrative, and statistical reporting.

The Certificate of Death is essential in the process of legally documenting a person's death and is required to notify relevant authorities and organizations. This certificate not only identifies the deceased but also provides important details such as the time, date, and place of death, as well as the medical examiner's findings concerning the cause of death.

While other documents, such as a Pending Certificate of Death or a Death Report, may play roles in the process, the definitive and official document that fulfills the legal requirements for recording a death and notifying the vital statistics office is the Certificate of Death. A Certificate of Cremation pertains specifically to the cremation process, while a Death Report may reference findings but does not serve as the official record of death necessary for vital statistics documentation.