Dream Lands Design
  • Home Improvement
    • DIY
    • Remodeling
    • Woodworking
    • Accessories
    • Home Design
      • Furniture
      • Organize
      • Tips
      • Decor
        • Interior
        • Exterior
  • Design Ideas
    • Bathroom
    • Bedroom
    • Dining Room
    • Living Room
    • Kitchen
  • Gardening
    • Backyard
    • Front Yard
    • Landscaping
  • Home Improvement
    • DIY
    • Remodeling
    • Woodworking
    • Accessories
    • Home Design
      • Furniture
      • Organize
      • Tips
      • Decor
        • Interior
        • Exterior
  • Design Ideas
    • Bathroom
    • Bedroom
    • Dining Room
    • Living Room
    • Kitchen
  • Gardening
    • Backyard
    • Front Yard
    • Landscaping

Categories

  • Accessories
  • Backyard
  • Bathroom
  • Beauty
  • Bedroom
  • Cars
  • Decor
  • Design Ideas
  • Dining Room
  • DIY
  • Entertaining
  • Exterior
  • Finance
  • Front Yard
  • Furniture
  • Gardening
  • Green Living
  • Home Design
  • Home Improvement
  • Interior
  • Kitchen
  • Landscaping
  • Lifestyle
  • Living
  • Living Room
  • Organize
  • Photography
  • Real Estate
  • Remodeling
  • Tips
  • Uncategorized
  • Wall Improvement
  • Woodworking

Archives

  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Disclosure
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us
29K
98K
0
Dream Lands Design
  • Home Improvement
    • DIY
    • Remodeling
    • Woodworking
    • Accessories
    • Home Design
      • Furniture
      • Organize
      • Tips
      • Decor
        • Interior
        • Exterior
  • Design Ideas
    • Bathroom
    • Bedroom
    • Dining Room
    • Living Room
    • Kitchen
  • Gardening
    • Backyard
    • Front Yard
    • Landscaping
featured image - What Happens If the Police Find a Body in Your Garden?
You're here: Home Living What Happens If the Police Find a Body in Your Garden?

What Happens If the Police Find a Body in Your Garden?

  • Perla Irish
  • November 24, 2021
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0
0
0
Table of Contents Hide
  1. Common or Garden Variety Deaths
  2. What Happens When a Body is Found in Your Garden?
    1. First Response
    2. Verification of Death
    3. Cause and Effect
    4. Identification
    5. Autopsy and Coroner’s Inquest
    6. Closing the Book
  3. What Happens Next?

Sadly, dead bodies are occasionally found in residential gardens. In this article, we’ll take you through the procedure which the police will follow in this unfortunate event.

Discovering that somebody has died is never a pleasant thing, but it can be particularly distressing when it hits close to home.

image - What Happens If the Police Find a Body in Your Garden?
What Happens If the Police Find a Body in Your Garden?

In 2020, Sue Bramley, from Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, was shocked when homicide detectives arrived to dig up her garden following a tip-off that there were bodies buried underneath her patio.

Thankfully, cases like this are rare but, unfortunately, bodies are occasionally found in residential gardens in the UK.

Causes range from natural causes, drug and alcohol abuse, and, sadly, murder. So, what happens if the police find a body in your garden? From the first response, down to the coroner’s inquest, we’ll discuss everything you should know…

Common or Garden Variety Deaths

First and foremost, if you are unfortunate enough to find a body in your garden yourself, it’s incredibly important that you phone the police straight away.

As well as not touching the body, you should avoid going near it at all. This is because you may inadvertently destroy important evidence.

Alternatively, you may be none the wiser until the police turn up at your door. As in the case of Sue Bramley from Mansfield, the police may be alerted to a body in your garden from somebody else. In this case, they may turn up at your door unexpectedly.

What Happens When a Body is Found in Your Garden?

When a body is found on your property, the procedure is as follows:

First Response

When the police are first alerted to the presence of a body, they will seek to immediately categorise the death as follows:

  • Category One: a death involving a suspected offense.
  • Category Two: violent and unnatural death (with the exception of a fall).
  • Category Three: natural death.
  • Category Four: multiple fatalities/disasters.

If the body is reported by telephone by a resident, the Force Control Room Inspector will allocate a category based on the initial information given.

Once police officers are in attendance at the scene, the category may be altered after inspection.

Verification of Death

On arrival at the scene, police officers will seek to verify that the person is deceased and will, in most cases, call for an ambulance. They do this even if it is clear that the person is unfortunately beyond medical assistance.

Verification of Death

While it may be obvious that the person has died, formal verification is required.  The officers will then seek to ascertain a cause of death and to determine whether a crime has been committed which has led to the death of the person.

Cause and Effect

If the investigating officer suspects that the death is a result of a crime, the garden may be cordoned off with police tape, and a tent may be erected to cover the body. This also helps to preserve the scene as the officers begin taking samples.

At this stage, a Crime Scene Manager will be called to the scene to oversee the forensic investigation. If your home is considered to be a crime scene, you may be asked to leave the property while an investigation takes place.

Identification

Police investigators will search the body for identification, such as a driving license, and will place mobile phones or other devices into evidence bags.

If it is possible to identify the body, police officers will contact the person’s next of kin, as well as their GP to attain medical records.

After returning to the police station, the lead officer will complete a G28 form which must be sent to the coroner by email before the lead officer goes off duty for the day/night.

Autopsy and Coroner’s Inquest

Once the on-scene investigation is complete, the body will be removed from the premises by a coroner and taken to the mortuary where an autopsy will take place. If the body has been identified, formal identification by somebody known to the deceased will take place at the mortuary.

If at this stage, there is an amendment to the original category allocated to the death, this will be communicated to the coroner, along with the reasons for the adjustment.

Until an autopsy is conducted, the body remains ‘the property of the coroner, and the deceased’s family will not be permitted to conduct a funeral until the autopsy report is issued.

In some cases, the results of an inquest will be announced publicly in court at a coroner’s inquest. This is a proceeding that will be attended by family and friends, the press, and representatives from the police service these proceedings are also open to the public.

Closing the Book

Once any investigations have been closed, the coroner will release the body to the next of kin who will then be able to organize a funeral.

Closing the Book

If identification of the deceased has not been possible, burial or cremation will be organized by the coroner’s office.

What Happens Next?

As mentioned, it is fortunately rare for police to find a body in your garden but, if this does happen, first and foremost, don’t panic.

It’s only natural to be shaken up and to possibly fear that you will be considered a suspect. But, it’s important to stay calm, call the police and avoid going near the body.

Police officers and detectives have strict procedures which must be followed on the discovery of a body and, if the body is on your property, you will be interviewed by detectives.

This doesn’t mean that you’re a suspect, it’s simply that it is the job of the police to gather as much information as possible, as quickly as possible.

Following this unpleasant incident, the police will usually keep you informed during the investigation. You may also be offered the services of a counselor if the ordeal has been particularly stressful.

Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Share 0
Share 0
Related Topics
  • body
  • death
  • garden
  • police

Subscribe

Subscribe now to our newsletter

You May Also Like
featured image - The Best Fireplace Accessories of 2022
View Post

The Best Fireplace Accessories of 2022

  • January 28, 2023
featured image - Unlocking the Perfect Palette for Your Home A Guide to Residential Painting
View Post

Unlocking the Perfect Palette for Your Home: A Guide to Residential Painting

  • January 28, 2023
featured image - Asphalt Maintenance Tips You Need to Know
View Post

Asphalt Maintenance Tips You Need to Know

  • January 28, 2023
featured image - How To Know When It's Time to Replace Your Home's Windows
View Post

How To Know When It’s Time to Replace Your Home’s Windows

  • January 26, 2023
featured image - Trenton, NJ Roof Repair by Certified Roofers
View Post

Trenton, NJ Roof Repair by Certified Roofers

  • January 26, 2023
Featured image - 6 Living Room Design Errors and How to Avoid Them
View Post

6 Living Room Design Errors and How to Avoid Them

  • January 26, 2023
Featured Image - Four Interior Design Styles to Consider Before Buying Your Next Holiday Home
View Post

Four Interior Design Styles to Consider Before Buying Your Next Holiday Home

  • January 26, 2023
featured image - 10 Tips for Decluttering Your Home and Maximizing Space
View Post

10 Tips for Decluttering Your Home and Maximizing Space

  • January 26, 2023
Dream Lands Design
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Disclosure
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

Add Dream Lands Design to your Homescreen!

Add