A body may be removed from the earth to make room for others in cemeteries or to discover the cause of an ill-explained death. Bones are removed from the grave and placed in smaller urns, drawers or go to cremation. In the case of suspicious deaths, before going to the polls, the bodies undergo forensic examinations.
All exhumations, except those in response to a court order, must be carried out at least three years after the death. When opening the coffin, the gravediggers wear gloves, a respirator and overalls to avoid contamination by bacteria, cockroaches and insects that cover the body. Slivers of clothing and skin are thrown into a garbage bag, along with the coffin, and taken to a landfill. The bones can go to the Legal Medical Institute (in the case of investigations). They can also be placed in ossuaries or even incinerated.
Famous dead such as Charles Chaplin, Evita Perón and Che Guevara have already been exhumed. In Brazil, President João Goulart and Emperor Dom Pedro I have already been pulled out of the grave.
CSI from beyond
Body parts may give clues to moments leading up to death
– (Rodrigo Ico/)
1) HAIR – If a person has been poisoned, traces of the substance may be in their hair, as well as small samples of the soil in which they were buried.
2) CALCIFIED TUMORS – Formations of this type can leave marks on the bones, indicating the occurrence of cancer and a possible cause of death.
3) BLOOD – Brown spots on the bones last for many years and may be evidence of internal bleeding.
4) BONES – X-rays indicate the stage of bone development, revealing age at death. Marks indicate if there was a fracture and when it occurred. Remains of metal or embedded bullet fragments may indicate a crime
5) TEETH – From the dental arch it is possible to know if the person was healthy or malnourished in the days before his death
6) UTERUS – Changes in the size of this organ or small fetal bones may indicate pregnancy at the time of death
7) NAILS – Depending on the substances found in them, it is possible to know if the person ate meat or was vegetarian, for example.
Reader Question – Juliana Pogogelski, Ponta Grossa, PR
CONSULTANCY Legal Medicine Book, by Genival França / SOURCES Funeral Service of the Municipality of São Paulo, Secretary of Public Security of the State of São Paulo