help about a dead body

Jennymf

Hi
I am writing a story where a young childs body has been found in a locked trunk in a loft , it has been there since 1915, and just found , would it be just bones , or would it still have some flesh on it?? I have tried to find out on the web but cant get specific answers.

Eddisbury

I guess this would depend upon conditions in the loft. It could have decayed away to no more than a skeleton or it could have mummified. Try doing a web search on mummified bodies.

St Force

That title gave me a fright. I thought of a help wanted poster.

I would imagine that the body would not be a skeleton just yet but the flesh would have started rotting. I’m not sure though, never really found a rotting body before. Hopefully someone else can help you.

If the body was in a truck since 1915 wouldn’t it start to smell? Is the trunk airtight? I wonder how the poor soul died and why his body ended up in a trunk. Why not burn the body and get rid of the evidence of the murder (if it is a murder)

Jennymf

Hi its not a murder, he died of natural causes, well an illness, its actually a love story. I know strange.

St Force

It sounds very intresting. I think a dead body brings any story to life, even if it is a love story. If you ever want a reader yet me know. I'll be more than happy to help.

Jennymf

Thanks st force , might take you up on that , especially as I am terrible with grammar.

Phots Moll

I don't know what it would look like, but kind of mummified sounds right. There'd be more than just bones, I'm sure. A body in the ground would eventually become just bones (don't know how long it takes) but in the loft there's no ground for it to break down into, no worms (gets icky if you start thingking about it)
Dry conditions and a mummified body would mean it was less likely to have been discovered nearer the time - a putrifying body would smell very bad and would leak disgusting gunge that would drip down through the floorboards.

Carol

As already said it would depend upon the conditions.
You might find one of the evening TB's can point you in the right direction.

Jennymf

I can get over the yukkii leaking part , and the smell, its just the condition thats a problem for me .

Baggy Books

[quote=Carol]You might find one of the evening TB's can point you in the right direction.[/quote]

Yep, the Death Gang normally come out after dark.

Carol

:D

Neph

If the conditions were warm and dry then there is more of a chance of the body being at least partially mummified. Of course if the attic was damp and cold then there is more chance of you just finding bones.

Jenny

[quote=st force]That title gave me a fright. I thought of a help wanted poster. [/quote]

That would be such a casual way for a murderer to deal with a body - just ask for advice on a forum!!

Baggy Books

Jennymf hopefully realises this thread isn't a private one. I'd hate the police to get hold of the wrong end of the evidence.

Carol

But then when it's a forum of writers, questions like that seem quite normal.

St Force

I must say, when I saw the title I did laugh. I got lots of weird looks from my class mates as well but there're not writers. They don't understand how cool and funny we are.

Carol

So true StF.

Jennymf

Well if a police car turns up I will invite them in for a cuppa and ask their advise. But thanks every one

boredrobots

------------------------------------------------------------------
WARNING: IF YOU ARE EATING, PLEASE STOP READING!
------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm not so sure about mummification in an attic, although it all depends on the conditions.

You don't need to be in the ground to rot away to nothing, once blood stops flowing around the body, cells break down and release enzymes which basically digest the surrounding cells and tissue. Research autolysis for some more info on this.

A lot would depend on how air tight the trunk is, if insects can get in then they will. Certain insects are carrion eater and will go nuts in the early stages of a decomposing body. If flies have access they WILL lay eggs within the body. These will hatch as maggots that will have a grand time munching under the soft skin of the corpse. Due to their ‘underground’ activity skin and hair will fall from the body. With more ‘holes’ in the corpse oxygen has an easier time getting to the parts that haven’t broken down yet, aiding in more maggots and decay.

On the other hand if the oxygen surrounding, and inside, the body is depleted then anaerobic organisms will thrive. These nasty little buggers will breakdown fats, proteins and carbohydrates for their own use, this will aid in putrefaction where skin bursts, tissues slough off the body, and organs liquefy.

All this will cause a major gas build up, which has to go somewhere! The ‘juices’ from inside the body will be forced from any available passage OR the skin will rupture.

More maggoty goodness…yum yum.

If the trunk isn’t air tight and it’s been almost a hundred years I’d say there wouldn’t be much more left than skeletonised remains.

St Force

*vomits down the loo and throws half eaten lunch in the bin*

Jennymf

[quote=bored_robots]If the trunk isn’t air tight and it’s been almost a hundred years I’d say there wouldn’t be much more left than skeletonised remains[/quote] Thats the bit I really wanted to find out, Thanks Bored Robot, great info, how do you know all that ??

Carol

You don't really want the answer do you?!!!!

St Force

I was wondering that...

boredrobots

[quote=Jennymf]how do you know all that ?? [/quote]

Well back around 1915 I was having trouble with this fella who....

Just research for 'writing' *nods* definitely writing, not killing people...*cough*

But like I said, it all depends on the conditions...dry, wet, temperature, air, surrounding area, if bugs can get in, if the body is wrapped in anything, etc.

Neph

So if questioned your defence is an enquiring writers mind. Having just bought a book on poisons I hope they will believe me too. *goes off to pick mushrooms*

St Force

I'm scared...

Hope what Bored Robots said helpped, Jennymf.

neil

This might help - though 1915 being a long time ago, I suspect we're talking skeletons!
http://www.angelfire.com/md/gina/page5.html

Jennymf

Thanks all especially Bored Robots and yes I did want to know. I thought just skeleton but someone put the seed of doubt in my mind. Any one contemplating murder please contact , all said members of this forum, all help available.

Jennymf

[quote=neil]This might help [/quote] Thanks neil, what a great site, and yes skeleton it is thankyou

Jediya

[quote=bored_robots]WARNING: IF YOU ARE EATING, PLEASE STOP READING![/quote]

I missed that warning when I read it at lunch (couldn't post as I was at work).... not that I needed it, I still ate my chicken roll just fine ;)

Jennymf

we are made of strong stuff on this site , why should a little gore upset us?

Jay Mandal

Jokes re Al and bulls eagerly awaited.

Marc.B

Bored robot's is right. You'd probably find just bones. I asked an undertaker for similar info for my novel and he said that after a similar period the body would be a skeleton with possibly the remains of material depending on what the person was wearing when they died. So bear this in mind unless the person was naked at point of death.

Oh I love the macabre!!

boredrobots

Naked dead child skeleton locked in a trunk in an attic...eaten away by maggots and anaerobic organisms.

Anyone else get the feeling Jenny isn't REALLY writing a love story? :P

Carol

:)

Marc.B

Not unless it's the love of the macabre!

boredrobots

I do love a bit of macabre...actually I love a LOT of macabre :D

Jennymf

Honestly it is a love story, now I have all the correct facts I can edit my original short story , make it longer and send it out. I like macabre as well. I might write a different version for all the scary folks out there.

ceka

Hmmn.(Examines talons carefully, removing bloodied remains with hookybeak)
I only 'do' fresh kill, I leave the carrion to the crows.
Wouldn't catch me eating a nearly-100-year-old corpse.