Drowning is defined as the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion in a liquid. The physical appearance of a body recovered from water can vary dramatically, depending on the time elapsed and the specific aquatic environment. The body’s appearance changes from immediate signs related to the cause of death to later, more dramatic alterations driven by decomposition and environmental interaction. This article details the sequence of observable physical changes a body undergoes following death in an aquatic setting.
Immediate Physical Signs of Drowning
One characteristic immediate sign is the presence of fine, white or pink foam exuding from the nostrils and mouth. This froth is an admixture of air, water, and pulmonary surfactant, a substance that normally reduces surface tension in the lungs. Terminal respiratory efforts violently churn this mixture, creating a stable, foamy cone.
The skin of the deceased often exhibits pronounced paleness, known as pallor, due to the cessation of blood circulation. Conversely, areas like the lips and nail beds may show cyanosis, a blue or purple discoloration caused by oxygen deprivation. Both color changes reflect the body’s struggle to oxygenate tissues during the drowning process.
A phenomenon often associated with bodies recovered from cold water is cutis anserina, commonly called goosebumps. This is caused by the contraction of the tiny arrectores pilorum muscles attached to hair follicles. This reaction is a form of rigor mortis affecting the involuntary muscles and can occur in any death involving a struggle or sudden shock, regardless of water temperature.
The intense pressure changes and straining during the struggle for air can sometimes lead to the rupture of small blood vessels. These tiny burst capillaries, known as petechiae, are sometimes visible in the conjunctiva, the membrane covering the whites of the eyes. The presence of these small hemorrhages indicates the physical strain experienced immediately preceding death.
Early Post-Mortem Changes in Water
The aquatic environment significantly alters the rate and appearance of standard post-mortem changes. One recognizable early change is skin maceration, often referred to as “washerwoman’s skin” or “washerwoman’s hands.” This condition is caused by the absorption of water into the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the epidermis.
Maceration begins quickly, with the fingers and toes becoming slightly wrinkled and opaque within a few hours of immersion. As the submersion interval increases, the skin becomes progressively softer, swollen, and increasingly wrinkled. The thick skin on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet is affected first and most prominently.
With prolonged submersion, typically after a few days, the macerated epidermis begins to separate from the underlying dermal layer. This results in extensive skin slippage, where the outer layer can be pulled off in large sheets, sometimes referred to as “glove and stocking” patterns. This sloughing alters the body’s surface appearance and can complicate identification by obscuring fingerprints.
The cooling of the body, or algor mortis, is significantly accelerated in water compared to air. Water conducts heat more efficiently than air, causing the body’s temperature to drop rapidly to match the surrounding water temperature. This accelerated cooling affects the timing of rigor mortis, the stiffening of the muscles after death, by delaying its onset and prolonging its duration.
Livor mortis, the purple-red discoloration from blood pooling in dependent areas due to gravity, is affected by the water’s movement. The constant movement of a body in a current may prevent the blood from settling and fixing, resulting in faint or incomplete lividity patterns. The color of the lividity can also be altered, appearing bright red or pink in cases involving carbon monoxide poisoning from boat exhaust, which is common in some water deaths.
Submerged Decomposition and Environmental Factors
If a body remains submerged beyond the early post-mortem period, putrefaction begins to dominate the visual characteristics. Bacteria within the gut invade the tissues and start the process of decomposition, releasing gases like methane, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide. This gas production causes the body to bloat dramatically, leading to distension of the abdomen, face, and limbs.
This process of inflation reduces the body’s overall density, causing it to become buoyant. Once the gas accumulation lowers the body’s specific gravity below that of the water, the remains will rise to the surface, typically within a few days in warm water or longer in colder conditions. The bloated appearance, often with the face severely swollen and eyes protruding, is a temporary stage before the gases eventually escape.
In environments that are cold, moist, and anaerobic, a unique long-term change known as adipocere formation can occur. Adipocere, or “grave wax,” is a grayish-white, waxy substance created when body fat converts into fatty acids through a process called saponification. This change can begin after a few weeks, preserving the body’s contours and hardening the soft tissues into a soap-like shell.
The interaction with aquatic life also dramatically alters the body’s appearance over time. Fish, crustaceans, and other scavengers preferentially target soft tissues, leading to a characteristic pattern of damage. The soft tissues around the eyes, nose, mouth, and hands are often the first to be consumed due to their thin tissue overlay.
In marine environments, larger scavengers like sharks can leave distinct marks on the bones that may be mistaken for pre-mortem injuries. Shark activity is identifiable by distinctive linear marks called striations left by their teeth. The cumulative effect of this marine life activity is the progressive defleshing of the body, leaving behind a skeletonized appearance that is often missing hands or feet, complicating identification.