---
title: O.C.G.A. § 16-12-161. Removal of body parts from scene of death or dismemberment; criminal penalty.
collection: code
id: 16-12-161
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 16-12-161 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12-161
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12-161.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12-161/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t16-ch12-17-(v14b)-2024-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=a591fa7b_0#page=176
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12-160.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12-170.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CRIMES AND OFFENSES / OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC HEALTH AND MORALS / HUMAN BODY TRAFFIC
---

# O.C.G.A. § 16-12-161. Removal of body parts from scene of death or dismemberment; criminal penalty.

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to remove from the scene of the death or dismemberment of any person any human body part; provided, however, that this Code section shall not apply to a law enforcement officer acting in the lawful discharge of his or her official duties, or to any person acting under the direction of a law enforcement officer, a physician or an emergency medical technician in the course of their professions, or in the absence of any such person to any person who transports such body part directly to a medical facility, law enforcement agency, or licensed funeral home, although all such persons remain obligated to comply with the provisions of Article 2 of Chapter 16 of Title 45 concerning death investigations.

(b) Any person violating the provisions of subsection (a) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.

## History

Code 1981, § 16-12-161, enacted by Ga. L. 1994, p. 334, § 1.