Estimating the Postmortem Interval in Freshwater Environments

Forensic investigators often deal with human remains recovered from water. Estimating the time since death for bodies that have been submerged in water can be quite difficult because there is a lack of data on the subject. This preliminary study was intended to provide additional data through the use of record research. Autopsy reports containing cases in which human remains were recovered from bodies of freshwater were used. Thirty-one variables were collected from each report in a present/absent context. Nine of the variables were then used in logistic regression analyses in order to measure their relationship to time in water. Results from this research indicate that only three of the variables were significant and the time since death estimate can only be made in large time intervals. The three variables: purge, hair slippage, and marbling can narrow the postmortem interval to either 48 hours or less or greater than 48 hours.