If the person is obviously dead or pronounced deceased by emergency respondents, treat the location of discovery as a potential crime scene, contact law enforcement, and secure the area to preclude contamination of the scene, says Stephen Barth, professor of hospitality law, University of Houston, and founder of HospitalityLawyer.com.
After obtaining permission from law enforcement, secure and take inventory of any personal property belonging to the guest. These items typically will be released to the executor of the deceased’s estate, he says. “Be very cautious when safeguarding and releasing valuable property. Professional legal guidance at this step would be helpful.”
The length of time a hotel must retain personal property and the method of disposing the items, if not timely claimed, will vary by state, Barth says. “Many hotels do not collect ‘in case of emergency’ contact information. When situations like these arise, they wish they had.”
