What To Do When You Find a Dead Body: A Step-by-Step Guide

Discovering a deceased individual is an incredibly traumatic and disorienting experience. It’s a situation most of us never anticipate, and the shock can make it difficult to think clearly. However, knowing how to respond correctly is crucial, both for your well-being and for the integrity of any potential investigation. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the necessary steps to take if you ever find yourself in this distressing situation.

Understanding the Initial Shock

Before we delve into the specific actions, it’s important to acknowledge the emotional impact of finding a dead body. It’s normal to experience a range of feelings, including:

• Shock and disbelief: Your mind may struggle to process what you’ve seen.
• Fear and anxiety: You might feel scared or worried about the circumstances of the death or potential danger.
• Disorientation: You may feel confused, numb, or have difficulty thinking straight.
• Nausea and physical discomfort: Some individuals experience physical reactions like feeling sick or lightheaded.

These reactions are completely normal. It’s important to recognize that you’re in a stressful situation and to be patient with yourself. Take deep breaths and try to remain as calm as possible, even though it may be incredibly difficult.

Immediate Actions: The First Critical Steps

Once you’ve acknowledged your initial emotional response, focus on the following crucial steps. These are designed to ensure your safety and to preserve the scene for authorities:

1. Assess the Situation and Ensure Your Safety:
   • Don’t rush in: Before approaching the body, take a moment to assess your surroundings. Is the area safe? Are there any immediate hazards like unstable structures, wild animals, dangerous chemicals, or potential signs of violence?
   • Look for dangers: Be alert for anything that could put you at risk. This includes anything suspicious or unusual. For example, if the body is found in a house, is there a smell of gas or signs of forced entry? If outdoors, is there broken glass or are there any loose electrical wires nearby?
   • Create a buffer zone: Do not immediately approach the body unless you are sure it is safe to do so. Keep a reasonable distance, at least several feet, to avoid contaminating potential evidence and to allow yourself time to react if something changes.
   • Don’t touch anything: Avoid touching any objects near the body or the body itself. This can potentially destroy fingerprints or other forms of valuable forensic evidence.
2. Call Emergency Services Immediately:
   • Dial the correct number: In most countries, you will need to call the emergency services number for your area (such as 911 in the US, 999 in the UK, or 112 in Europe). The first call you make should be to law enforcement and emergency medical services.
   • Clearly state the situation: When you contact emergency services, be clear, calm, and concise. Explain that you have found a deceased person and provide the exact location of the body. If you know whether the death is suspicious or not, you should mention that as well, but do not make any assumptions.
   • Provide details: Provide as many details as you can remember including the location, the apparent condition of the body (if it’s safe to look), and any relevant observations you made when initially assessing the scene.
   • Answer all questions: Be prepared to answer the operator’s questions clearly and honestly. Avoid exaggerating, speculating, or providing incorrect information. Remember to note your own location and be prepared to guide responders to your location if necessary.
   • Follow their instructions: Follow any instructions given by the dispatcher until first responders arrive.
3. Secure the Area and Wait for Authorities:
   • Prevent further access: After making the call, your next priority is to secure the area and prevent anyone else from entering. This is crucial for preserving any possible evidence for a police investigation. If you are indoors, close the door to the room. If you are outdoors, create a visual barrier around the scene (if possible). Use natural elements like branches or stones to deter access. You can ask a friend or family member to stand watch while you call emergency services.
   • Do not enter again: If you have left the area to call the emergency services, you should not reenter the area, even to make observations, unless explicitly instructed to do so by the police or medical personnel.
   • Record the time: Make note of the time you called the emergency services.
   • Do not clean or move anything: It’s imperative that you do not clean or move anything at the scene. Even seemingly insignificant items might hold vital clues. Leave the scene exactly as you found it, do not try to “help” by cleaning anything away or moving any items to what you believe is a safer location.
   • Stay nearby, but at a safe distance: You should stay in the vicinity, but again, avoid entering the immediate area. Be ready to speak to the authorities as soon as they arrive.
4. Document Your Observations:
   • Memory is fallible: After the initial shock wears off, begin documenting everything you observed about the scene. It’s important to note that memories can be unreliable and inaccurate, so jotting things down will help preserve your recollections.
   • Write down details: Write down as much detail as possible, such as the time you found the body, the exact location, the position of the body, any objects nearby, any smells, any sounds, anything about the weather, any visual signs of trauma, the apparent clothing and condition of the person, and anything else that stands out. The more detail, the better.
   • Take photos or videos (if possible and safe): If you have a camera or phone available, and it is safe to do so without further disturbing the scene or coming into closer contact with the body, take photographs or videos of the scene. However, do not move anything in order to get a better shot. Note that the quality of the image is less important than that you are documenting the scene without adding or removing anything.

Interacting with Law Enforcement and Medical Personnel

Once emergency personnel arrive, they will take control of the situation. It’s crucial to cooperate fully with their instructions and to provide them with the information you have gathered. Here’s how to interact with them:

• Introduce yourself: Approach the officers and identify yourself as the person who made the initial call.
• Be prepared to recount the situation: You may be asked to provide the officers with a statement. Remain calm and do your best to provide an accurate and detailed account of everything you saw and did. Do not try to guess or speculate on anything, stick to the facts. Refer to your notes if necessary.
• Answer all questions truthfully and to the best of your ability: Law enforcement and medical personnel may have many questions for you about what you saw and what you did. Answer their questions as clearly and truthfully as you can.
• Don’t make assumptions: Avoid speculating about the cause of death or any circumstances surrounding it. Do not offer your personal theory on what might have happened unless you have a very specific reason to believe you know. It is best to simply explain your experience when you discovered the body.
• Cooperate with any requests: Be ready to answer all questions asked by police officers or other personnel, and follow their instructions. You may need to provide your personal information for record purposes.
• Do not obstruct the investigation: Do not touch anything, move anything, or enter the scene unless specifically asked to by the authorities, even if you want to help or feel you are making a better job of securing the area.

Handling Your Emotional Response

Discovering a deceased person is a traumatic experience that can leave a lasting emotional impact. It’s important to acknowledge your feelings and take steps to care for your mental and emotional well-being. Here are some things you can do:

• Seek professional help: Consider speaking with a therapist, counselor, or other mental health professional. They can provide support and guidance in processing the experience. Trauma response specialists are often available and can help you navigate the aftermath of such a situation.
• Talk to someone: Don’t try to process this alone. Talk to someone you trust – a friend, family member, or religious leader – about how you’re feeling. Sharing your feelings can help you come to terms with what you experienced.
• Practice self-care: Engage in activities that promote relaxation and well-being, such as exercise, meditation, or spending time in nature. Make sure you get enough sleep, eat properly, and limit your use of alcohol or other substances.
• Limit your media exposure: News reports and social media coverage of the event may be triggering. Consider limiting your exposure to information about the incident to help maintain your mental and emotional health.
• Be patient with yourself: It may take time to process what you’ve experienced. Be patient with yourself and allow yourself the time and space you need to heal.
• Consider joining a support group: If you are struggling with the emotional aftermath, you may find it helpful to speak to others who have experienced trauma, or even people who have had similar experiences to yourself.

Legal Considerations

While you aren’t required to be a legal expert, it’s helpful to have a general understanding of legal considerations in such cases:

• You’re not under suspicion (usually): Typically, the person who finds the body is not immediately considered a suspect. However, you will be questioned by law enforcement to understand your involvement. It is important to cooperate fully and truthfully.
• You may be asked to make a formal statement: Police will likely ask for a statement, and you have a responsibility to provide one to the best of your recollection.
• You may be asked to testify: In some cases, you may be asked to testify in court, especially if the death is deemed suspicious. You have an obligation to participate if required.
• You’re protected by Good Samaritan laws: Most jurisdictions have laws to protect people who attempt to provide assistance or help during emergencies, and this may include contacting authorities about a body you’ve found. This means that you are protected from civil liability, as long as you act in good faith without negligence. However, this doesn’t protect you if you intentionally damage or remove evidence or interfere with the investigation.
• Do not discuss with unauthorized individuals: Avoid discussing the case with anyone outside of the police and legal system or your legal representative. Disclosing details could potentially prejudice a future investigation or legal proceedings. Do not discuss your experience or opinions about the case on social media either.

Special Considerations for Specific Scenarios

The actions you take might need to be slightly modified depending on the circumstances:

• Outdoor locations: If the body is found in a remote location, it is important to also document the route you took and to be as accurate as possible on how you found it. If you have to leave the scene to make contact with the police, it is best to try to photograph or video the immediate area to ensure that you can accurately recall the location.
• Private residences: Be cautious about entering private property without authorization. Only go inside if you feel it is necessary to make the discovery. If the body is inside a house, ensure you have left any doors open so that you don’t accidentally lock yourself in and be prepared to wait for the police.
• Public spaces: If you find a body in a public place, securing the area might be challenging. If possible, try to cordon off the immediate area with what you can find, and ask other people to not approach or touch anything in the immediate vicinity.
• Water bodies: If a body is in the water, do not attempt to retrieve it unless you are a trained professional. Call the emergency services, explain that the body is in the water and wait for assistance.
• Children: If you find a child, proceed with the same care but pay extra attention to the emotional impact on yourself. Finding a deceased child is extremely upsetting, so make sure you take extra steps to care for yourself, and make sure that children in your care don’t become aware of the situation.

Key Takeaways and Conclusion

Finding a dead body is a deeply distressing and traumatic event. Remembering the following key takeaways can help you respond appropriately:

• Prioritize your safety.
• Call emergency services immediately.
• Secure the area and prevent access.
• Document your observations thoroughly.
• Cooperate fully with authorities.
• Prioritize your mental and emotional health.

By following these steps, you can help to ensure that the situation is handled efficiently, effectively, and with the utmost respect for the deceased. Remember, you do not need to handle the situation on your own. The authorities will take over after your call, and the first thing you need to think about is your own safety and wellbeing. This is an extremely challenging scenario for most people and it’s very important that you look after yourself afterwards and make sure that you don’t shoulder the weight of this alone.