What to Do if You Find a Dead Body: 10 Do's & Don'ts

If you should be unlucky enough to find a dead body in your neighboring woods. One that has been decapitated and that has obviously been lying there for many weeks due to the decomposition evident, one would hope that most people would call the police.

Here are some do's and don'ts when/if you should find a dead body and on making that '911' call.

1: Do - Do call the Police on your Cell-Phone to relate your whereabouts and the whereabouts of the dead body.

2: Do Not - Do not under any circumstances turn the body over and remove any possible 'knives-in-backs' with ungloved (or gloved come to that) hands, as the police always seem to prosecute people who do this. At least all the people I see in those crappy 'made-for-TV' movies who always seem to do this and then stare at the bloodied tip, surprised to see it covered in blood.

3: Do not - Do not set your camera on auto-timer, lie down next to the body and make rabbit-fingers behind the remnants of the victim's bloodied head as you have your picture taken. I'm not sure if this is illegal or not but it's in very poor taste.

4: Do - Do avoid walking the same route as the one on which said dead body was found. This goes double if you find multiple bodies and if you should happen to find a Mass grave then you should leave the area altogether. You can call the police later.

5: Do not - Do not take the body home sit it on your couch and watch old 'Spencer Tracy/Katherine Hepburn' Movies with it. The conversation sucks and your co-workers are going to notice that you have suddenly acquired that 'not quite alive' pong about you.

6: Do not - Do not take the body parts home, wrap them in cellophane and place them in your freezer. Aside from being incredibly clichéd it's a waste of perfectly good space. I personally would rather have 'Ice-Cream Neapolitan' than 'Glassy eyed staring head(s)' filling up my fridge.