ABSTRACT
Funeral directors usually like to obtain a dead body as soon as possible after death. The longer a body sits after death, even if it is refrigerated, the more the appearance of the body changes and the more difficult it is to make the body appear natural. Persons who conduct death investigations are aware of such needs and, in general, do the best they can to have the body available to the funeral home in a timely manner. However, no matter what type of death investigation is conducted, the procedure may delay delivery of the body to the funeral home. Usually this does not involve delays of more than a day. Most places that conduct death investigations have the capability of embalming the body prior to an autopsy if necessary, although embalming can induce artifacts that make autopsy findings difficult to interpret. In most instances, however, embalming a body prior to autopsy is neither needed nor desired, and the body can be returned to the funeral home in a timely fashion. Most states have regulations that require the body to be returned to the custody of the family or to the funeral home within a specified time following death or autopsy — usually one to several days. In cases in which the body may need to be maintained for a longer period of time, regulations usually also permit an extension if the medical examiner or coroner requests one. In most instances, however, examination of the body will be conducted the same day or the day following death, or after permission for examination is obtained, depending on the type of death investigation, and the body will be released in a timely fashion.
