Photo by Isaac Quesada on Unsplash
The term unattended death can be used for more than one type of situation. It’s a common term used for crime-related deaths, but it could be used for other reasons as well.
Read on to learn what an unattended death is and what you can expect when this term is used.
Unattended Death Defined
First, let’s define what this term might mean. Ultimately, an unattended death is a person who passes away with no one around. In most cases, the term is used for a death in which the scene is not found for days, possibly even months, after the death occurs.
The cause of death can vary. It might be from a suicide or perhaps a crime was committed. The death also simply might be someone who passed but didn’t have a lot of close connections checking on them regularly.
Unattended deaths do result in an investigation.
Why an Investigation?
Even if the cause of death is suspected, there will still be an investigation. While this sometimes might seem like an unnecessary hardship, there is a reason for the practice. In most cases, law enforcement will investigate unattended deaths. The reason is because the death is not explained until it is investigated.
Since the death is unattended, there is no witness to what really happened. Those details are sorted through during the investigative process. Sometimes an investigation is short-lived when an autopsy reveals a cause of death. Other times, an investigation may go deeper to find out what really happened.
Unattended Death Cleanup
When a body is found after an unattended death, cleanup is going to be required. You should never try to handle the cleanup on your own as this is considered to be a biohazard. Death leads to decomposition, which comes in different stages.
Those stages are:
- Autolysis
- Bloat
- Active decay
The steps happen in that order, and each step can be messy. During the autolysis and bloat stages, gases are released, and bacteria or fungi may be present to attack dead tissue on the body. During the active decay phase, muscles and fat start to literally melt away, turning into paste. It’s pretty gruesome and it certainly doesn’t smell very good.
After death, bodies begin releasing toxins that are not safe to be handled. At this point, they should only be handled by trained professionals who have the proper safety equipment to remove the body.
Those professionals will help to clean up the mess left behind and disinfect any surrounding areas that could be contaminated by the body.
Austin Bio Clean Services
When you or someone you know is faced with the aftermath of an unattended death, Austin Bio Clean can help. We are highly trained and certified to handle this type of situation. We’re here for you in what very easily could be a difficult time. We can take care of the entire cleaning and disinfection process in the Austin and Central Texas area. Reach out to us any time.
