Who may give permission to embalm if no next of kin assumes responsibility for the body?

The correct choice is that any person assuming responsibility may give permission to embalm if no next of kin is available to take on that responsibility. This provision is important to ensure that the body of the deceased can be preserved appropriately, especially when there is no immediate family member available to make decisions about the funeral arrangements.

In practice, the law recognizes that there may be instances where a next of kin is either unwilling or unable to provide the necessary consent for embalming. In such cases, a person who is ready to take responsibility for the body—be it a friend, another relative, or another volunteer—can provide the required authorization. This flexibility is crucial in ensuring that the deceased is treated with dignity and that the arrangements for handling the body are made in a timely manner.

While options like the funeral director, the coroner, medical examiner, or a judge could play roles in the management of bodies and might have jurisdictional authority, they do not automatically carry the authority to embalm without consent unless they are the ones who are taking responsibility directly.