Safe Luxury

How long does it take a body in a casket to start to get nasty?

Yeah, yeah, I know you've seen this question before - but this time, to prevent any "it depends" answers - here are the EXTREME specifics: Temperature: NYC climate since Nov 2006 The availability of oxygen: Buried in a "stacked" plot - has room for one more person on top of her. Prior embalming: not sure - it was a very quick died wed, viewing fri, in the ground on sat. Cause of death: Hit by car - blunt force trauma to torso, multiple fratures to limbs. Access by insects: I don't know - I'm not about to dig her up to find out. Burial, and depth of burial: Wood Casket ONLY no vault and no grave liner, just the casket in dirt. She's about 12 feet under if there's room for 1 more person on top of her Access by scavengers: none Trauma, including wounds and crushing blows: many - hit by 2 cars going about 40-45mph each? blunt impact to torso. Humidity, or dryness: Her grave was very MUDDY (like we couldn't even access it, or walk on it 4-5 months after her burial. Cemetery denies it, but seems like its "on the moist side" - but it could be just because it was a fresh grave and that's normal? Rainfall: 2 years of average rain fall for the NYC area, It's been really rainy this week. Body size and weight: 5'2 and 110 Clothing: not sure The surface on which the body rests: 2 other dead relatives, the one beneath her is in a metal casket and he has a grave liner - (not a vault) I'm not sure what the difference is. She has no casket protection - she just a wood casket (don't know what kind of wood) in the ground for 2 years. What would she look like if she were exhumed today? I want extremely graffic descriptions please. Please don't copy and paste from other websites - I've already seen that - that's why I'm hear, because I'm not satisfied with the answers I found on the web - they were way, way, way to censored for me. Wow! Really? I didn't think water could get down there since she's buried so deep. Plus, we have VERY cold winters here where the ground is frozen for about 2-3 months, and very cool and it doesn't really get HOT hot until about July. So, she'd be totally decomposed already? Just bones? Nothing else? I see on "Dead Men Talking" sometimes they exhume bodies after 20 years because they have new forensic evidence and the bodies are into the decomposed process, but not all the way. ? Squarepants - no, no. she died at the hospital. She was not found the next day. She was hit by 2 cars, the drivers stayed with her till the abulance came, then she was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead on a Wednesday evening. Thursday, I don't know what went on with her - if she had a autopsy or was being embalmed or if they just kept her in refridgeration, but the next evening was her viewing and the next morning was her funeral and burial. I'm not sure if she was embalmed or not. Maybe because it was a one night viewing they didn't feel it was worth it. Seems like it was a "low-cost" (not cheap, but budget) funeral.

Public Comments

1. I have no scientific proof, but I think it is safe to say that the body has completely decomposed. The rain has reached the body and has caused a moist environment which is conducive to microorganism growth (bacteria and fungi). The enbalming fluid may have delayed the decomposition somewhat, but I feel it is prob near completion. Perhaps you can find a pathologist (the morgue?) who would be willing to help you. New info: Even though the ground freezes in the winter, in the NY city area it would be frozen only a few inches down (guessing maybe 18"). Below that, the ground is soft. Hence, decomposition is still taking place. I think the key here is the lack of a vault. Once water gets into the casket, decomposition is hastened. Hope this isn't too graphic.....
2. wow, now that what we call details.. lol sorry to dissapoint you.. but yea, it depend on the body and the environment.. and looking to your details.. i can say that "your body" will start to rotten after 24 hours.. pretty much like any other body.. well, the body is found the next day, and i suppose there is trauma on the body, and look at the environment condition.. "your body will start to "get nasty" as early as 12 hours.. why? because it was found one day after, might be trauma on the body, buried in "plain" coffin, plus the weather and mud and so on.. yea, i guess it'll start to get nasty as early as 12 hours.. but usually, normal dead body start to get nasty after 24 hours.. by this time, nothing actually happen.. but quite scary to look at.. google for image.. just tell you of what i know.. sorry, not helping.. =) PEACE =D