Suicide by drowning

This individual committed suicide by drowning because of financial worries. Bodies removed from water show excessive gas production and tissue discoloration, owing to explosive bacterial gas production. The gas causes the bodies to bloat excessively, which can cause an explosion or sudden rupture of the tense abdomen.

Decomposition in a wet environment differs from that in other settings, both in the changes that occur and the rate at which they occur. It is essential that the forensic pathologist or medicolegal death investigator recognize and appreciate the uniqueness of immersed and submerged remains. The typical decomposition changes proceed more slowly in the water, primarily due to cooler temperatures and the anaerobic environment. However, once a body is removed from the water, putrefaction will likely be accelerated. Postmortem changes are not only affected by water temperature, but also by current as well as obstacles and structures, both natural and man-made, that may interact with the remains.