DEATH

Andrew M Marcella, MD, DPBS, FPCS,FPSGS

 CHANGES IN THE BODY FOLLOWING DEATH

1. CHANGES IN THE MUSCLE

2. CHANGES IN THE BLOOD

3. AUTOLYTIC OR AUTODIGESTIVE CHANGES AFTER DEATH

4. PUTREFACTION OF THE BODY

 Changes in the Muscle
MUSCULAR STAGES AFTER DEATH:

1. Stage of Primary Flaccidity (post-mortem muscular irritability)

2. Stage of Post-Mortem Rigidity (Rigor Mortis)

3. Stage of Secondary Flaccidity (Decay of the Muscle)

 CADAVERIC
RIGOR MORTIS
SPASM

immediately after
Time of Appearance 3-4 hours after death
death

certain muscles or
all muscles of the
Muscles Involved group of muscles;
body
asymmetrical

may or may not

Occurence natural phenomena
appear

Medico-Legal approximate time of determine the nature

Significance death of the crime
 ANTE-MORTEM POST-MORTEM
CLOT CLOT

Consistency firm soft

smooth and healthy

raw after clots are
Blood Vessel Surface after clots are
removed
removed

can be stripped off in

Physical Attributes homogenous
layers

Color uniform color in distinct layers

 POST-MORTEM (CADAVERIC) LIVIDITY
• pooling of the blood on most dependent part of the body

• appears 3-6 hours after; becomes fully developed in 12 hours

• also involves internal organs

• only involves the superficial layer of the skin and does not appear elevated

• no gross injury to the skin

• hypostatic vs diffusion lividity

 Significance of POST-MORTEM Lividity
• one the signs of death

• may determine whether the position of the body has been changed

• color may indicate the cause of death

• may give an idea as to the time of death

AUTOLYTIC OR AUTODIGESTIVE CHANGES AFTER
DEATH

• proteolytic, glycolytic, and lipolytic fermentation of glandular tissues, leading to autodigestion

of the organs
• facilitated by week acids and high temperature

• delayed by alkaline reaction and low temperature

• microscopic appearance show influence of autolytic enzymes

 PUTREFACTION
• the breaking down of complex proteins into simpler components associated with evolution of
foul smelling gases accompanied by changes in the color of the body.
• significant changes include:

1. changes in the color of the tissues

2. marbolization

3. evolution of gases in the tissues

4. liquefaction of the tissues

 Factors Modifying the Rate of Putrefaction
1. Age

2. Condition of the body

3. Cause of death

4. External factors - air, earth, water, clothings

 PUTREFACTION IN CHRONOLOGIC ORDER
• greenish discoloration in the iliac fossa, later extending to the whole abdomen and other parts of the
body - 1-3 days
• marked swelling of the face with bloody froth coming from the mouth and nostrils - 3-5 days

• swelling and discoloration os scrotum and vulva

• distention of the abdomen with gases - 8-10 days

• Bull formation over the face, eventually bursting and denudation of the epidermis

• escape of blood stained fluids from mouth and nostrils

• arborescent pattern on the skin

• liquefaction of the eyeball

• increased discoloration fo the body and more abdominal distention

• presence of maggots - 14-20 days

• shedding of the nails and loosening of the hair

• conversion of the tissue into semi solid mass - 2-5 months

• unrecognizable facial features

• bursting of the abdomen and thoracic cavity

• progressive dissolution of the body

 FACTORS AFTER BURIAL
1. State of the body before death
2. time elapsed between death and burial
3. Effect of coffin
4. Clothings and any other coverings
5. Depth of burying
6. Condition of the type of soil
7. Inclusion of things that will hasten decomposition
8. Access of air to the body
9. Mass grave
10.Trauma on the body
 SPECIAL MODIFICATION OF PUTREFACTION

• Mummification

• Saponification or Adipocere fo rmation

• Maceration
 DURATION OF DEATH
1. Presence of Rigor Mortis

2. Presence of Post-Mortem Lividity

3. Onset of decomposition

4. Stage of decomposition

5. Entomology of the cadaver

6. Stage of digestion of food in the stomach

7. Amount of urine in the bladder

 DURATION OF DEATH
8. State of the clothings

9. Chemical changes in the CSF

10. Post-mortem clotting and decoagulation of blood

11. Presence or absence of soft tissue in the skeletal remains

12. Condition of the bones

 PRESUMPTION OF DEATH
Disputable Presumption
That a person not heard from for 7 years is presumed dead

Presumption of Death - Art 390 NCC; Sec 5 Rule 131 Rules of Court
• After an absence of 7 trait being unknown whether or not the absentee still lives, he shall be presumed dead for all purposes, except for
those of succession
• For the purpose of succession, absence of 10 years
• If he disappeared after the age 0f 25, an absence of 5 yrs is sufficient to open succession
Art 391 NCC and Sec 5 Rule 131 Rules of Court

The following shall be presumed dead for all purposes, including the division of estate to his
heirs:

1. A person board a vessel or airplane which is missing, who has not been heard of for 4 years
since the loss of the vessel or airplane. (Reduced to 2 years in the Family Code for the purpose
of remarriage)

2. A person is in the armed forces who has taken part in war, and has been missing for 4 years.

3. A person who has been in danger of death under other circumstances and his existence has not
been known for 4 years.

Art 392 NCC

If the absentee appears, or without appearing his existence is proved, he shall recover his property in
the condition in which it may be found, and the price of any property that may have been alienated
or the property acquired therewith; but he cannot claim either fruits or rents.
In the Family Code, when the present spouse contracts a subsequent marriage after
judicial declaration of presumptive death of the absentee spouse, and there is an
affidavit of reappearance that is registered by an interested person in the proper civil
registry, with notice to the parties of the second marriage, the latter shall be considered
as automatically terminated